Honoring the Legacy of Carlos Saura

It’s been over two years since renowned Spanish film director, photographer, and writer, Carlos Saura, passed away on February 10, 2023, the day before he was due to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Goyas, Spain’s equivalent of the Oscars. Yet, his legacy lives on as one of the most influential filmmakers in Spanish history and a great preserver of the art of flamenco.

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“With Carlos Saura dies an incredibly important part of the history of Spanish cinema. He leaves behind a body of work that is indispensable when it comes to reflecting d eeply on how human beings behave. Rest in peace, friend.” said Antonio Banderas, who appeared in two of Saura’s films. 

“His talent is, and always will be, the cultural heritage of our history thanks to unforgettable films such as ¡Ay Carmela! and Cousin Angelica. We bid farewell to a director of the imagination, but his cinema will stay with us.”

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Saura was born in Huesca, Spain on January 4, 1932. His mother was a concert pianist and his father worked in the Interior Ministry. Saura's childhood was marked by the Spanish Civil War. He later recalled the games he played, the songs he sang, and the darker memories of bombings, hunger, blood, and death. This military conflict left a lasting impression on a young Saura. His films echo the divisions, trauma and the complexities of national identity left in Spanish society post-war.

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In his early 20s, Saura became the official photographer of the Granada International Music and Dance Festival and fell in love with dance, particularly flamenco. Saura's homage to flamenco took off with a trilogy featuring Antonio Gades and Cristina Hoyos, which included an adaptation of Lorca’s Boda de Sangre, Carmen— a film that earned Saura his second Oscar nomination and showcased guitarist Paco de Lucía— and El Amor Brujo. These films played a crucial role in establishing flamenco as a contemporary art form in the 1980s.

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Saura also produced a series of documentary films that celebrated and documented key aspects of flamenco and its most significant figures. Sevillanas (1992), Flamenco (1995), Iberia (2005), Flamenco Flamenco (2010), and Flamenco Hoy! (2013) — all considered essential viewing for any flamenco enthusiast. These films feature iconic moments, including Farruco’s passing down his legacy to a young Farruquito, a stunning sevillanas performance by Camarón shortly before his death, a powerful soleá by Manuela Carrasco, and a historic duet between Paco de Lucía and Manolo Sanlúcar.

In a reflective moment on Spanish television, Carlos Saura shared that he had always wished to be a flamenco dancer. He created his flamenco films to allow others to express through dance what he could not. Through this, Saura made an immeasurable contribution to the art form and will be remembered as one of its most significant figures in history. 

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Carlos Saura wrote flamenco artists into history by immortalizing their performances in his films, preserving their contributions to the art form for future generations. Saura highlighted the legacies of legendary figures such as Camarón de la Isla, Paco de Lucía, and Tomatito, ensuring their profound impact on flamenco would be remembered and celebrated worldwide. Additionally, Saura played a pivotal role in introducing and elevating the careers of artists like the dancer Sara Baras and guitarist Vicente Amigo, young dancers Rocío Molina, and Patricía Guerrero, even a young Farruquito’s dynasty was helped etched in stone. Their talents gained broader recognition through his cinematic spotlight. In this way, Saura not only preserved the history of flamenco but also helped bring its evolving stars to the global stage.

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