Diego Quemada-Diez
- Director
- Screenwriter
- Cinematographer
Diego Quemada-Diez began his film career in 1995 on Ken Loach's film "Land and Freedom" as a clapper loader. Soon later, he migrated to the United States to work on an independent film by Isabel Coixet. After working in LA's film industry for a few years, he saved enough to attend the American Film Institute (AFI). His graduation film, "A Table is a Table," won the Best Cinematography Award from the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). He went on to collaborate as a camera operator with directors Alejandro Gonzalez-Iñarritu (21 Grams), Tony Scott (Man on Fire), Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener), and Spike Lee, while continuing to write and direct his own short films and documentaries.
In 2006, he premiered his second short film, "I Want to Be A Pilot" at the Sundance Film Festival. The film played at over 200 festivals and won over 50 awards, including an Audience Award at La Mostra Sao Paulo Film Festival and a Special Mention at the Amiens Film Festival. That same year, he emigrated to Mexico, where he directed his short documentary "La Morena," which premiered at the 2007 Morelia Film Festival.
In 2010, he participated in the Cannes Film Festival Atelier workshop with his first long-feature film, "La Jaula de Oro" (The Golden Dream). The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival at the Un Certain Regard official selection, winning the Un Certain Talent Award, the Gillo Pontecorvo Award, and the François Chalais Special Mention Award. He won Best Director at the Vladivostock Film Festival, Best New Director Hugo Award at the Chicago Film Festival, Best Director at the Tesalonica Film Festival, Best Director at the Havana New York Film Festival, Best Director at the Luis Buñuel Calanda Film Festival in Spain, Best Director from the Satjavit Ray Foundation at the London Film Festival, and the Jean Renoir Award in France. The film would go on to win Best First Film at the Havana Film Festival and Best Film at the Mumbai, Mar de Plata, Tesalónica, and Zurich film festivals. In its Mexican premiere at the Morelia Film Festival, "La Jaula de Oro" won three awards: the Audience Award, Best First Film, and the Press Guerrero Award. It also won nine Arieles from the Mexican Film Academy, including Best Film, Best First Film, and Best Original Screenplay. The film was nominated at the 2014 Goya Awards and was eligible for the 88th Academy Awards.
He naturalized as a Mexican in 2013.
In 2006, he premiered his second short film, "I Want to Be A Pilot" at the Sundance Film Festival. The film played at over 200 festivals and won over 50 awards, including an Audience Award at La Mostra Sao Paulo Film Festival and a Special Mention at the Amiens Film Festival. That same year, he emigrated to Mexico, where he directed his short documentary "La Morena," which premiered at the 2007 Morelia Film Festival.
In 2010, he participated in the Cannes Film Festival Atelier workshop with his first long-feature film, "La Jaula de Oro" (The Golden Dream). The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival at the Un Certain Regard official selection, winning the Un Certain Talent Award, the Gillo Pontecorvo Award, and the François Chalais Special Mention Award. He won Best Director at the Vladivostock Film Festival, Best New Director Hugo Award at the Chicago Film Festival, Best Director at the Tesalonica Film Festival, Best Director at the Havana New York Film Festival, Best Director at the Luis Buñuel Calanda Film Festival in Spain, Best Director from the Satjavit Ray Foundation at the London Film Festival, and the Jean Renoir Award in France. The film would go on to win Best First Film at the Havana Film Festival and Best Film at the Mumbai, Mar de Plata, Tesalónica, and Zurich film festivals. In its Mexican premiere at the Morelia Film Festival, "La Jaula de Oro" won three awards: the Audience Award, Best First Film, and the Press Guerrero Award. It also won nine Arieles from the Mexican Film Academy, including Best Film, Best First Film, and Best Original Screenplay. The film was nominated at the 2014 Goya Awards and was eligible for the 88th Academy Awards.
He naturalized as a Mexican in 2013.
