Rodrigo Sorogoyen, one of the most respected authors of contemporary Spanish cinema, held a masterclass at the Festival Centre (Bosnian Cultural Centre) in Sarajevo. The conversation with British film critic Neil Young opened up space for dialogue about the directing craft, screenwriting, and long-standing collaborators, but also about the unusual beginning of his career right here in Sarajevo.
Sorogoyen, born in Madrid in 1981, entered the world of film through a combination of family heritage and his own curiosity. His grandfather, Antonio del Amo, was a director in the 1950s and 1960s who was sentenced to death for opposing the regime at the time. Although Sorogoyen points out that family tradition did not directly determine his path, he feels that in a way he is continuing his grandfather’s story. Before film school, he studied history in Madrid, which was more of an obligation than a calling for him.
His rich career developed from titles like Stockholm, May God Save Us, and The Realm, all the way to the films Mother and The Beasts, which won nine Goya Awards. To date, Sorogoyen’s work has received 42 Goya nominations, making him one of the most significant names in Spanish cinema. Still, he emphasizes the importance of the team: “The director’s role should not be glorified. Film is truly teamwork. I am very proud to work with my friends, like screenwriter Isabel Peña. That trust is the most important part of the process.” He considers himself, as he says, above all a screenwriter who directs.
Television also holds a significant place in his development, and he treats it just as seriously as film today. A special moment of the masterclass was the reflection on Sarajevo, where he first stayed 17 years ago during the economic crisis. “Just after we finished film school, we started a road trip through the Balkans and ended up at the Sarajevo Film Festival completely by chance. It was right there that we decided to found our own production company. Sarajevo is the place where my filmmaking journey began,” the director revealed. With a smile, he added that their first films were funded through crowdfunding.
Today, his new film THE BELOVED is screening at the Sarajevo Film Festival, completing this full circle. The film follows a famous director (Javier Bardem) and his estranged daughter. During the conversation, Sorogoyen also touched upon politics, speaking proudly about the stance of Spain, which formally recognized the State of Palestine. He noted that his lead actor, Javier Bardem, also loudly advocates for the protection of Palestinian lives and dignity.
In the end, Sorogoyen described freedom as a fundamental value of his work with actors: “You have to give an actor the space to surprise you. When there is trust, something can happen that you could never have written or planned.”
