José Luis Garci

Spanish filmmaker José Luis Garci earned worldwide acclaim and his country's first Best Foreign Language Film Oscar for Volver a Empezar/Return to the Beginning (1982). Garci had made his film debut in 1977 with Asignatura Pendiente/Failed Exam. Before that, Garci gained early experience in cinema by writing scripts for producers José M. González Sinde, José Luis Tafur, and José Esteban Alenda. His subsequent films include La Herida Luminosa/The Wound of Light (1997) and El Abuelo/The Grandfather (1998), which was Spain's submission for the Best Foreign Film category of the American Academy Awards. In addition to directing, Garci works as a television and radio sportscaster. Interestingly, though American critics loved Volver a Empezar, it was unsuccessful in Spain.

~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide