Pere Portabella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pere Portabella
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| Member of Senate of Spain | |
| In office 15 June 1977 – 1 March 1979 |
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| Born |
Pere Portabella i Ràfols
February 11, 1927 Figueres, Catalonia, Spain |
| Website | pereportabella.com |
Pere Portabella i Ràfols was born in 1927. He is a Spanish politician, film director, and producer. He is known for his unique and experimental films. He also played an important role in Spain's return to democracy.
In 1977, Portabella was elected as a Senator in Spain's first democratic elections. He helped write the Spanish Constitution. This important document set up how Spain would be governed after a long period of dictatorship.
As a filmmaker, Portabella's movies are often called "experimental." This means he tries new ways to tell stories with film. His films often have a poetic feel and talk about social issues. Many people see him as a very important person in Spanish cinema.
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Pere Portabella's Film Journey
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Pere Portabella grew up in a wealthy family in Catalonia, Spain. When he was young, he moved to Madrid to study chemistry. There, he met many artists and film students. These connections helped him get into the world of movies.
His first experience in film was in 1958. He worked as a producer on a documentary about bullfighting. He later said that the project didn't turn out well. After this, he decided to focus on films that showed the social and political issues of the time.
Starting His Own Film Company
In 1959, Portabella started his own film company called Film 59. His company's first films were Los golfos (Thugs, 1960) and El cochecito (The Little Car, 1960). These movies were influenced by a style called "Italian neorealism." This style focused on showing real life, often with ordinary people.
In 1960, Portabella met the famous director Luis Buñuel at the Cannes Film Festival. He convinced Buñuel to come back to Spain and make the movie Viridiana. This film was co-produced by Portabella's company.
The Scandal of Viridiana
Viridiana was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 1961. It won the top prize, the Palme d'Or. However, the film caused a big scandal in Spain. It openly made fun of symbols of the Spanish state religion. Because of this, the film was banned in Spain for many years.
Developing a Unique Film Style
After Viridiana, Portabella worked with other filmmakers. He started to develop a very unique and "radical" style of filmmaking. This means he pushed the boundaries of what movies could be. His first short film in this style was No contéis con los dedos (Don't Count on Your Fingers) in 1968.
After the death of Francisco Franco in 1975, Spain began its move towards democracy. Portabella made a documentary about this time called Informe sobre algunas questiones of general interes para una proyección pública (Report on Some Issues of General Interest for a Public Screening, 1976).
In 1990, he made a fictional movie called Warsaw Bridge. This film explored the connection between books and movies. In 2007, Portabella directed The Silence Before Bach. This movie looked at the relationship between the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and visual images.
Pere Portabella's Films
Here is a list of some of the films Pere Portabella has directed:
- No compteu amb els dits (1967)
- Nocturne 29 (1968)
- Cuadecuc, vampir (1970)
- Umbracle (1970)
- Cantants 72 (1972)
- Acció Santos (1973)
- Advocats laboralistes (1973)
- El Sopar (1974)
- Informe general sobre unas cuestiones de interés para una proyección pública (1977)
- Pont de Varsòvia (1990)
- The Silence Before Bach (2007)
- General Report II: The New Abduction of Europe (2016)
Pere Portabella's Political Work
Pere Portabella was elected as a Senator in 1977. This was during Spain's first democratic elections after a long dictatorship. He played a part in writing the Spanish Constitution, which is the main law of Spain.
He has also been a member of the Parliament of Catalonia. Since 2001, Pere Portabella has been the president of Fundación Alternativas. This is a "think tank," which is a group that does research and suggests ideas about public policy. He often brings together important people from politics, culture, and art at his home. In 1999, he received the Cross of St. George, a high honor in Catalonia.
See also
In Spanish: Pere Portabella para niños
- Dau al Set
- Joan Brossa
- Carles Santos
