Antonio Méndez Esparza

Antonio Méndez Esparza (Spanish: [anˈtonjo ˈmendeθ esˈpaɾθa]; born 7 January 1976[1]) is a Spanish filmmaker based in the United States. He teaches at the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts.

Antonio Méndez Esparza
Born (1976-01-07) January 7, 1976
Madrid, Spain
Years active2006–present

Life and career

Méndez Esparza was born in Madrid, where he obtained a law degree. He studied filmmaking at the University of California, Los Angeles, and at Columbia University, where he received an MFA.[2]

His 2009 short film Time and Again (Una y otra vez) won the narrative short prize at the Los Angeles Film Festival[3] and earned him a Latino filmmaker prize at the Directors Guild of America's Student Film Awards.[4] His first feature, Aquí y allá, premiered in the International Critics' Week at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and won the section's Grand Prize.[5] The film also received a special mention at the 2012 AFI Fest[6] and earned him a nomination for the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Director.[7] Both films depict experiences of Mexican migrants to the United States with non-professional actors.[8]

His second feature, Life and Nothing More, premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and won the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards.[9] Shot in Tallahassee with a small crew and non-professional actors, the film depicts a struggling African-American family in Florida.[10][11][12]

His third feature and first documentary, Courtroom 3H, premiered in competition at the 2020 San Sebastián International Film Festival.[13] The film documents proceedings in a Tallahassee family court presided by a judge with whom Méndez Esparza became acquainted while making Life and Nothing More.[14][15]

In 2022, he directed the comedy thriller Something Is About to Happen, which he co-wrote with Clara Roquet based on the novel Que nadie duerma by Juan José Millás, in Spain.[16][17]

Filmography
Year Title Note
2006 Yanira Short
2009 Una y otra vez (Time and Again) Short
2012 Aquí y allá (Here and There)
2017 Life and Nothing More
2019 Courtroom 3H Documentary
2023 Que nadie duerma (Something Is About to Happen)

References
  1. "Antonio Méndez Esparza". La Semaine de la Critique. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  2. López Pérez, José (February 28, 2013). "Entrevista a Antonio Méndez Esparza, director de la película "Aquí y Allá"". No Sólo Cine. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  3. McNary, Dave (June 28, 2009). "'Soraya' soars at L.A. fest". Variety. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  4. McNary, Dave (November 15, 2009). "UCLA wins big at DGA student awards". Variety. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  5. Szalai, George (May 24, 2012). "Cannes 2012: Critics' Week Gives Main Award to 'Aqui y Alla'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  6. Olsen, Mark (November 8, 2012). "AFI Fest 2012: Swedish film 'Eat Sleep Die' wins grand jury prize". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  7. Fleming, Mike, Jr (November 26, 2012). "'Moonrise Kingdom' Wins IFP Gotham Award For Best Picture". Deadline. Retrieved June 8, 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. Brennan, Billy (December 21, 2012). "Five Questions with Aquí y Allá Director Antonio Méndez Esparza". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  9. Earl, William (March 3, 2018). "2018 Independent Spirit Awards Full Winners List: 'Get Out,' Jordan Peele Win Top Honors". IndieWire. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  10. Rivera, Alfonso (September 28, 2017). "Review: Life and Nothing More". Cineuropa. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  11. Obenson, Tambay (November 9, 2018). "'Life and Nothing More': How a Spanish-Born Filmmaker Made a Sensitive Portrait of a Working Class African American Life". IndieWire. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  12. "Antonio Méndez Esparza". Sundance Collab. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  13. Aftab, Kaleem (September 22, 2020). "'Life and Nothing More's' Antonio Méndez Esparza on San Sebastian Competition Player 'Courtroom 3H'". Variety. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  14. Rivera, Alfonso (December 12, 2019). "Antonio Méndez Esparza shooting Courtroom 3H". Cineuropa. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  15. Cabeza, Elisabet (September 24, 2020). "Antonio Méndez Esparza talks about the making of documentary 'Courtroom 3H'". Screen Daily. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  16. Mayorga, Emilio (November 18, 2020). "Spain's Wanda Films Boards Antonio Mendez Esparza's Comedy Thriller 'Madrid Is It' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  17. Rivera, Alfonso (April 12, 2022). "Antonio Méndez Esparza finishes filming Que nadie duerma". Cineuropa. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
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