Rodrigo Cortés Giráldez (born 31 May 1973) is a Spanish film director, producer, screenwriter, editor, writer and occasional actor. He is best known for directing the 2010 psychological thriller Buried.
Early life Rodrigo Cortés was born in Pazos Hermos (Cenlle, province of Ourense) on 31 May 1973, but soon moved to Salamanca, where he spent most of his childhood and his early 20s.
Career Cortés's fondness for filmmaking started at an early age. At 16, he had already directed his first short film in Super 8. In 1998, he directed the short Yul that won over 20 awards and in 2001, he released 15 Days, a fake documentary in the form of a large short film that earned over 57 awards at festivals, becoming the most awarded Spanish short film of the time.
In 2007, he directed The Contestant, his first feature film that was released with critical applause and earned several awards, including the Critic's prize at the Málaga Film Festival. He directed and edited the 2010 thriller Buried, starring Ryan Reynolds. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and has received considerable acclaim.
In 2012 Cortés released Red Lights, a film about a physicist and a psychology professor who specialise in debunking supernatural phenomena, it stars Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy and Elizabeth Olsen.
He reunited with Buried screenwriter Chris Sparling for his 2018 movie Down a Dark Hall, based on the novel of the same name by Lois Duncan and produced by Twilight writer Stephenie Meyer.
Philosophy In a 2012 interview, following the release of Red Lights, Cortés explained his perspective on independent filmmaking in an online interview:
... I don’t believe in indie or studio as labels. As an audience member, what I want is to hear strong voices and clear personalities and to feel challenged; not to feel reaffirmed on my own decisions or whatever... it’s never about where you shoot. It’s about what and about how. I mean that. This is not a pro-Hollywood or anti-Hollywood position. I learned to love cinema via the studio movies and of course Scorsese films, Spielberg films, and Hitchcock. All of them did studio pictures with very strong voices. It’s about finding this margin of expressing and exploring the things that touch your sensitive points.
Filmography Film Year Title Director Writer ProducerEditorMusicaldirector Notes 2007 The Contestant Also songwriter: "Cyrus Honey Blues" and "Cajas" 2010 Buried Also songwriter: "In the Lap of the Mountain" 2011 Apartment 143 Also Music editor and second unit director 2012 Red Lights 2013 Grand Piano Also second unit director 2018 Down a Dark Hall Also additional voices (credited as Gonzalo Giráldez) 2021 Love Gets a Room Also songwriter "Without You", "Little Bride"and "Little Bride-Stefcia Solo" 2024 Escape
Short films Year Title Director Writer Producer Editor Notes 1998 Yul 2000 15 días Also composer La Ley de Murphy Also dialogue supervisor 2001 Dentro Segment of Diminutos del calvarioAlso composer and sound designer 2002 Los 150 metros de Callao Also sound, sound designer and sound editor 2003 El Niño Millon Documentary short filmCo-directed with Abril Balderrama and Ricardo Díaz Interruptus Also dialogue supervisor 2007 Dirt Devil Also sound designer and sound editor Impavido Aldo dialogue supervisor 2010 Alone 2013 Por activa y por pasiva 2014 1:58 Advertising short2022 Tierra Nueva
Acting roles Year Title Role 1998 YulNarrador (as "Gonzalo Giraldez") 2000 15 días Ruben Salas La Ley de Murphy El Holandés (voice) 2002 Los 150 metros de Callao Narrador #1 (voice) 2003 Interruptus Hombre Calvo #1 2007 Dirt Devil Narrador
Television Year TitleDirectorWriterEditorMusicalDirector Notes2021Stories to Stay Awake Wrote, directed, edited and produced music for episode "La Broma"Co-wrote and co-edited episode "El Asfalto"
Awards and nominations Year Work Award Category Result 200015 DaysOurense Independent Film FestivalCanal+ Audience AwardAlcalá de Henares Short Film FesrtivalPixel Coop Award - Special MentionZaragoza Film FestivalBest Editing2001Medina Film FestivalYouth Jury AwardBest EditingL'Alfàs del Pi Film FestivalBest Short Film2007 The ContestantMálaga Film FestivalGolden Biznaga for Best Spanish Film Critic's Award 2008 Goya Awards Best Original Song for "Circus Honey Blues" Mestre Mateo Awards Best Director Best Screenplay Best Editing 2010 Buried Méliès International Festivals Federation Méliès d'Or 2011Gaudí Awards Best Director Best Editing CEC Medals Best Director Best Editing Goya Awards Best Director Best Editing Best Original Song for "In the lap of the mountain" 2013Red LightsGaudí AwardsBest Non-Catalan Language Film 2014Grand Piano Feroz Awards Best Drama Gaudí Awards Best Non-Catalan Language Film 2015 Saturn Awards Best Independent Film 2022 Love Gets a Room Feroz Awards Best Director Best Screenplay CEC Medals Best Director Best Original Screenplay Best Editing
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