Icíar Bollaín facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Icíar Bollaín
Born	Icíar Bollaín Pérez-Mínguez (1967-06-12) 12 June 1967 (age 58) Madrid, Spain
Occupation	Director screenwriter actress
Years active	1995–present

Icíar Bollaín Pérez-Mínguez (born June 12, 1967) is a famous Spanish director, writer, and actress. She is known for making powerful movies that tell important stories.

Her most famous film is Te Doy Mis Ojos (Take My Eyes), which won seven Goya Awards, Spain's main film awards. Bollaín has won many awards for her work as a director, writer, and actress.

Early Life and First Steps in Film

Icíar Bollaín was born in Madrid, Spain. Her father was an aeronautical engineer (a person who designs aircraft), and her mother was a music teacher. She has a twin sister named Marina.

From a young age, Icíar and her sister were interested in the arts. Icíar loved movies, while Marina studied to become an opera singer. When she was just a teenager, Icíar got her first acting role in the movie El Sur (1983).

A Career in Movies

Working as an Actress

After her first movie, Icíar Bollaín acted in many other films. She even acted alongside her twin sister in two movies made by their uncle.

A famous British director named Ken Loach chose her for his movie Land and Freedom (1995). This film was about the Spanish Civil War. Working with Loach was a big inspiration for her. It made her want to tell her own stories.

Becoming a Director

At age 23, Bollaín started her own movie company called La Iguana. She began by making short films. In 1995, she directed her first full-length movie, Hola, ¿estás sola? (Hi, Are You Alone?). It's a road trip story about two young women looking for a better life.

Her movies often explore important social topics and tell stories about real people's lives and struggles. In 2020, she was invited to join the AMPAS, the group that gives out the Oscar awards.

Her Famous Movies

Flowers from Another World (1999)

Flores de otro mundo (Flowers from Another World) tells the story of three women who travel to a small village in rural Spain. They hope to find love and start a new life. The women are from different places: one from Cuba, one from the Dominican Republic, and one from a city in Spain.

The movie shows how they connect with three men from the village. It explores feelings of being an outsider and the challenges of starting over. The film shows how relationships can help break down barriers between different cultures.

Take My Eyes (2003)

Te Doy Mis Ojos (Take My Eyes) is one of Bollaín's most successful films. It tells the story of a woman named Pilar who is in a very difficult and harmful marriage. The movie follows her journey as she tries to change her life and find her own strength.

Art plays a big role in the film. As Pilar starts studying art history, she begins to see the world differently and grows more confident. The movie shows how finding a passion can help someone escape a bad situation. It won many awards, including Best Film and Best Director at the Goya Awards.

Even the Rain (2010)

Even the Rain (También la lluvia) is like a movie inside another movie. It's about a Spanish film crew that goes to Bolivia to make a movie about Christopher Columbus.

While they are filming, a real-life conflict breaks out in the town. The local people are protesting because a company has bought their water supply and is charging them high prices for it. The film's director, played by Gael García Bernal, at first only cares about his movie. But soon, he and his crew get caught up in the real-world problems of the people they hired as actors. The movie explores ideas of fairness and helping others.

Filmography

As Director

As Actress

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Icíar Bollaín para niños