Jaime Chávarri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jaime Chávarri
Attending the CiBRA Festival closing gala in 2023
Born	Jaime Chávarri de la Mora (1943-03-20) 20 March 1943 (age 82) Madrid, Spain
Occupation	Filmmaker
Years active	1967–present
Relatives	Antonio Maura (great-grandfather) Constancia de la Mora (aunt)

Jaime Chávarri (born March 20, 1943) is a Spanish film director and writer. He is well-known for his movies like El desencanto (The Disenchantment) and Las bicicletas son para el verano (Bicycles Are for the Summer).

Life and Career

Jaime Chávarri grew up in a well-known family. His mother, Marichu de la Mora y Maura, was a fashion journalist. His aunt, Constancia de la Mora, was also a notable figure. Jaime first studied to become a lawyer. In 1968, he joined the Official Film School (EOC). He left after his second year to become a film critic. He wrote for Film Ideal magazine.

Early Work in Film

Jaime Chávarri's first job in the film industry was helping director José Luis Borau. In his free time, he made two longer films using a special camera called Super 8. These were Run, Blancanieves, Run (1967) and Ginebra en los infiernos (1969). He also worked on a TV series called Último grito (The Last Cry). Later, he wrote the script for Un dos tres... al escondite inglés (Hide and Seek) in 1969. He also helped with the script for the film Vampyros Lesbos in 1970. That same year, he finished his first short film, Estado de sitio (Siege State). He also contributed a part to the group film Pastel de sangre (Blood Pie) in 1971.

Directing Feature Films

Chávarri's first full-length movie as a director was Los viajes escolares (School Trips) in 1974. This film was about his own life and a family with problems. It was shown at the Valladolid International Film Festival. Critics saw his talent but found the film's meaning a bit hard to understand.

Two years later, in 1976, Chávarri made the documentary El desencanto (The Disenchantment). This film showed the family of a poet named Leopoldo Panero after he passed away. It explored the difficult relationships within the family.

His next film, A Un dios desconocido (To An Unknown God), came out in 1977. It tells the story of a lonely magician in Granada. He remembers his younger days and a friendship with Federico García Lorca. This film was highly praised. It won awards for best actor and best director at the 1977 San Sebastián International Film Festival.

Moving to Commercial Films

Chávarri's film Dedicatoria (Dedicated to...) in 1980 was also well-received for its strong themes. However, it did not earn much money at the box office.

In the early 1980s, Chávarri started making films based on books and plays. In 1983, he directed a grand movie version of the novel Bearn o la sala de las muñecas (Bearn or the Dolls Room). In 1984, he made a film from the play Las bicicletas son para el verano (Bicycles Are for the Summer). He also had a small role in Pedro Almodóvar's film What Have I Done to Deserve This? in 1984. In 1985, he wrote and directed El río de oro (The Golden River), which was inspired by the Peter Pan stories.

The success of Las bicicletas son para el verano helped Chávarri make more popular films. In 1988, he adapted a novel by Gabriel García Márquez for television. His musical drama Las cosas del querer (The Things of Love) came out in 1989. It was set in Madrid in the 1930s. The film featured many old Spanish folk songs. It starred Ángela Molina as a singer and Amparo Baró. This movie became one of his biggest successes in Spain. In 1990, he returned to television to adapt a short story by Jorge Luis Borges.

Later Films

Chávarri's films in the 1990s, like Gran slalom (1996), a comedy about love, and Sus ojos se cerraron y el mundo sigue andando (Tangos are For Two) in 1997, did not do very well. However, he had more success with Kisses for Everyone in 2000. This was a comedy set in the 1960s about three medical students in Cádiz. It starred Emma Suárez, Eloy Azorín, and Pilar López de Ayala.

In 2004, El año del diluvio (The Year of the Flood) was released. It was based on a novel and was set in the 1950s. It was about a nun who ran a hospital and a wealthy landowner. His film Camarón (Camarón: When Flamenco Became Legend) in 2005 was also well-liked. This film was about the life of the famous flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla. The actor Óscar Jaenada played Camarón and won an award for his role. The film won three Goya Awards.

Selected Filmography

Images for kids

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  Jaime Chávarri at a festival in 2023

See also

In Spanish: Jaime Chávarri para niños