Ivan Zulueta
Encyclopedia
Juan Ricardo Miguel Zulueta Vergarajauregui known as Ivan Zulueta (September 29, 1943 – 30 December 2009) was a designer
and film director
. His work spanned different fields such as art designer in movies or music# and he was mainly known for writing and directing the film Arrebato
(Rapture), and for designing the posters and promotion of Pedro Almodóvar
's first movies.
n origin of that name, which was not allowed by anti-communist
Franco
dictatorship, in San Sebastián
, Basque Country
, Spain
. His family was wealthy: his father’s family had had sugar factories in Cuba
for generations. His father was a lawyer; even though he combined his job with other activities, such as director of the San Sebastian Film Festival. His mother was a painter, even though not professionally. Hence, Ivan was surrounded by the arts from an early age.
Zulueta moved to Madrid
in 1960 and enrolled in decoration
courses. At the end of 1963, he was offered the opportunity of traveling in a merchant vessel to New York
. There, he enrolled in Arts Students League for studying oil painting and advertising drawing. Zulueta discovered pop art
, Nouvelle Vague, the New American Cinema and artists such as Jonas Mekas
and John Cassavetes
.
Coming back to Madrid in 1964, Zulueta enrolled in the Spanish Cinema School. He directed a couple of shorts in 35 mm. The first one, called Agata, based on a short story by Edgar Allan Poe
. And the second one, called Ida y Vuelta (Round Trip), based on a short story by William Jenkins
. However, he did not get his degree and the School was closed by the dictatorship. Zulueta would not be allowed to sign his works until Franco died because of this.
In 1969, Un, Dos, Tres, Al Escondite Inglés (Hide and Seek) was produced. It was Jose Luis Borau’s first work as a producer of a full-length movie. The production was carried the same way as in the TV show Ultimo Grito. The film was a musical which made fun of Eurovision contest with a Richard Lester
style. It was first released in Cannes Film Festival
.
(1983). At same time, Zulueta started a prolific career as poster designer.
Ivan met Pedro Almodóvar and helped him in his first underground short movies.
Zulueta also worked as assistant director for other directors such as Jaime Chavarri or Antonio Drove.
Ivan Zulueta proposed to hit other non-underground segments of the public by directing a short movie and releasing it. The result: Leo Es Pardo (Leo is Dark); a short movie recorded with a 16mm camera. It was released in the Berlin Film Festival. Then, Zulueta and his collaborators thought that they could try to put all this experimentation onto a full-length film released as a conventional movie…
movies.
His death was reported on 30 December 2009.
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. His work spanned different fields such as art designer in movies or music# and he was mainly known for writing and directing the film Arrebato
Arrebato
Arrebato is a 1980 Spanish art house film written and directed by Iván Zulueta....
(Rapture), and for designing the posters and promotion of Pedro Almodóvar
Pedro Almodóvar
Pedro Almodóvar Caballero is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer.Almodóvar is arguably the most successful and internationally known Spanish filmmaker of his generation. His films, marked by complex narratives, employ the codes of melodrama and use elements of pop culture, popular...
's first movies.
Childhood and early career
Ivan Zulueta was born Juan Ricardo Miguel due to the RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n origin of that name, which was not allowed by anti-communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
dictatorship, in San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
, Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. His family was wealthy: his father’s family had had sugar factories in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
for generations. His father was a lawyer; even though he combined his job with other activities, such as director of the San Sebastian Film Festival. His mother was a painter, even though not professionally. Hence, Ivan was surrounded by the arts from an early age.
Zulueta moved to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1960 and enrolled in decoration
Interior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
courses. At the end of 1963, he was offered the opportunity of traveling in a merchant vessel to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. There, he enrolled in Arts Students League for studying oil painting and advertising drawing. Zulueta discovered pop art
Pop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art...
, Nouvelle Vague, the New American Cinema and artists such as Jonas Mekas
Jonas Mekas
Jonas Mekas is a Lithuanian-born American filmmaker, writer, and curator who has often been called "the godfather of American avant-garde cinema." His work has been exhibited in museums and festivals across Europe and America.-Biography:...
and John Cassavetes
John Cassavetes
John Nicholas Cassavetes was an American actor, screenwriter and filmmaker. He acted in many Hollywood films, notably Rosemary's Baby and The Dirty Dozen...
.
Coming back to Madrid in 1964, Zulueta enrolled in the Spanish Cinema School. He directed a couple of shorts in 35 mm. The first one, called Agata, based on a short story by Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
. And the second one, called Ida y Vuelta (Round Trip), based on a short story by William Jenkins
William Jenkins
William Jenkins may refer to:*William Albert Jenkins , British politician, former MP for Brecon and Radnor*William Jenkins , youngest Royal Marine to win a DSO in the Second World War...
. However, he did not get his degree and the School was closed by the dictatorship. Zulueta would not be allowed to sign his works until Franco died because of this.
Pop-art and psychedelic
In 1968, Jose Luis Borau, his teacher in the Film School, produced a TV show called Ultimo Grito (Latest Trends). The anchormen were Jose Maria Inigo and Judy Stephen. Ivan Zulueta directed the show. The production means and budget were low and therefor among the methodologies employed for this production was to have friends take on the different positions and creative capcities required for its realization.In 1969, Un, Dos, Tres, Al Escondite Inglés (Hide and Seek) was produced. It was Jose Luis Borau’s first work as a producer of a full-length movie. The production was carried the same way as in the TV show Ultimo Grito. The film was a musical which made fun of Eurovision contest with a Richard Lester
Richard Lester
Richard Lester is an American film director based in Britain. Lester is notable for his work with The Beatles in the 1960s and his work on the Superman film series in the 1980s.-Early years and television:...
style. It was first released in Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
.
70s: experimentation
Jose Luis Borau provided Zulueta with unused film from his newly-created production company. Zulueta used it for experimenting mainly with tempo and editing. He also used other underground formats like 16mm or 8mm. Most of the time, the experimentation was related to re-fiming preexisting material in other formats and rhythms. This visual style was very popular in those years, used by other directors and achieving a peak with the eminent KoyaanisqatsiKoyaanisqatsi
Koyaanisqatsi also known as Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance, is a 1982 film directed by Godfrey Reggio with music composed by Philip Glass and cinematography by Ron Fricke....
(1983). At same time, Zulueta started a prolific career as poster designer.
Ivan met Pedro Almodóvar and helped him in his first underground short movies.
Zulueta also worked as assistant director for other directors such as Jaime Chavarri or Antonio Drove.
Ivan Zulueta proposed to hit other non-underground segments of the public by directing a short movie and releasing it. The result: Leo Es Pardo (Leo is Dark); a short movie recorded with a 16mm camera. It was released in the Berlin Film Festival. Then, Zulueta and his collaborators thought that they could try to put all this experimentation onto a full-length film released as a conventional movie…
Arrebato (Rapture)
A Spanish architect interested in movies decided to help Zulueta financially. The planning was a 15-day filming. However, it was shot in real interiors owned by Zulueta and other friends, like Jaime Chavarri; and most of collaborators used drugs like heroin, that drove the planning and the budget to be highly increased. Pedro Almodóvar dubbed one of the female characters, but he was not credited. The relationship between the director and the producer was poorly damaged. Moreover, the film had a lot of problems to be commercially released due to its experimental and underground style; even though the dictatorship had fallen through. It was finally released in 1980. Ivan Zulueta was labeled as a problematic auteur and Arrebato became a cult movie.80s: silence
Finally, his heroin addiction forced him to retire temporarily. Living in San Sebastián, he declined offers for new projects in filming industry. On the other hand, Zulueta continued with his career as poster designer. It is in these years when he produced his best known works for Pedro Almodovar, among others. He also started experimenting with photography.The come-back: "Párpados" & "Ritesti"
At the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s, Zulueta directed a couple of episodes for two different TV serials. The first one, called “Parpados” (“Eyelids”), was a love story between a couple of twins. The second one, called “Ritesti”, was a horror story. Both were traced by Zulueta’s style, visual obsessions, circular screenplay, format mixing (film and video) and a fragmented editing which reminded some of David LynchDavid Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
movies.
Latest years
By mid-90s, Zulueta came back to the silence. He continued his work designing posters. However, at the beginning of the 2000s, some personalities in the Spanish film industry rediscovered Zulueta’s early work: different expositions (paintings, posters and photography) were organized in different Spanish cities such as Madrid or Barcelona; his films were broadcast on TV and cinema again; his short movies were shown on film festivals and Arrebato was first launched on DVD. "Un, Dos, Tres, al Escondite Inglés" was released on VHS and some of his experimental shorts were launched on a limited DVD release.His death was reported on 30 December 2009.
External links
- Official Ivan Zulueta website
- http://www.andresduque.com/web/ivanz.html Online Documentary "Ivan Z", Goya Awards Nomination, 2004