Gabriela Calvache

director, screenwriter, film producer

directora, guionista, productora de cine

Hi, I'm @GabrielaCalvache, a filmmaker passionate about exploring social and environmental issues. The world never ceases to amaze me in these pursuits. I appreciate your interest in my work and your visit.

Hola, soy @GabrielaCalvache, cineasta apasionada por explorar temas sociales y medioambientales. El mundo nunca deja de sorprenderme en estas búsquedas. Agradezco tu interés por mi trabajo y tu visita.

GABRIELA CALVACHE employs cinema to represent the experiences of individuals who are marginalized by society. She inherited this interest from her father, who fought for the rights of indigenous communities in Ecuador in the 1970s. Calvache is a producer, screenwriter, and director. She has made thirteen Ecuadorian films related to human rights or environmental issues. As a mother, stepmother, and filmmaker, Gabriela is the result of a blend of cultures, religions, political positions, and ethnic origins. Diversity defines her.

Calvache’s creative background is rooted in Latin American auteur cinema, but she is always eager to explore new techniques in filmmaking. Lately, she has been working on developing stories that bridge the gap between artistic and commercial filmmaking.

In 2019, Gabriela became the first Latina woman to be added to Universal Studios’ Universal Directors Initiative Program. Her latest feature film, LA MALA NOCHE, premiered at SXSW and received fifteen nominations and fourteen awards after touring various festivals. The film represented Ecuador at the 2020 Academy Awards. Her short films have premiered at festivals such as Berlinale, Rotterdam, Mar del Plata, among others.

Gabriela Calvache is internationally represented by Black Bear Pictures.

bIO

ESP

Gabriela Calvache emplea el cine para representar las experiencias de individuos marginados por la sociedad. Ella heredó este interés de su padre, quien luchó por los derechos de las comunidades indígenas en Ecuador en los años 70. Calvache es productora, guionista y directora. Ha realizado trece películas latinoamericanas relacionadas con los derechos humanos o problemas ambientales. Como madre, madrastra y cineasta, Gabriela es el resultado de una mezcla de culturas, religiones, posiciones políticas y orígenes étnicos. La diversidad la define.

El trasfondo creativo de Calvache se basa en el cine de autor latinoamericano, pero siempre está dispuesta a explorar nuevas técnicas en el cine. Últimamente, ha estado trabajando en desarrollar historias que conecten el cine artístico con el comercial.

En 2019, Gabriela se convirtió en la primera mujer latina en ser incluida en el programa Universal Directors Initiative de Universal Studios. Su última película, LA MALA NOCHE, se estrenó en SXSW y recibió quince nominaciones y catorce premios después de recorrer varios festivales. La película representó a Ecuador en los Premios de la Academia 2020. Sus cortometrajes se han estrenado en festivales como Berlinale, Rotterdam, Mar del Plata, entre otros.

Gabriela Calvache está representada internacionalmente por Black Bear Pictures.

FILMOGRAPHY

AWARDS

LA MALA NOCHE

• Best Film. Debut 22, International Film Festival. Switzerland.
• Best Director. Stockholm Film Festival. Sweden.
  
• Best Director. Boden International Film Festival. Norway.
  
• Best New Director. Budapest Movie Awards. Hungary 2022.
  
• Best Director. Asti International Film Festival. Italy.
  
• Pre-nominated in the short list of the 2020 Platinum Awards in the categories: Best Latin American Film, Best Actress, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Photography and Best Film in Values.
• GameChanger Nomination - South by South West SXSW.
  
• Nomination for Best Photography - Guadalajara International Film Festival.
  
• Best Emerging Director Mention Award - Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival.
  
• Audience Award - Latin American Film Festival of Quito.
  
• Best Film - NY Latino-HBO Film Festival.
  
• Best International Film Nomination - International Film Festival Cinematik Piestany.
  
• Best International Film - Guayaquil International Film Festival.
  
• Best Latin Film Nomination - São Paulo International Film Festival La Mostra.
  

• Audience Award - Kunturñawi Film Festival.
  
• Best Actress - Kunturñawi Film Festival.
  
• Best Film - Primavera Film Festival.
  
• Best Actress - Navarra International Film Festival.
  
• Best Production Design - Colibrí 2020 Awards.
  
• Best Director and Best Film Nomination - Colibrí Awards.
  
• Nomination for Best International Feature Film, Best Female Performance, Best Director, and AIFF Golden Jury Award, Abuja International Film Festival, Nigeria.
  
• Project Selected at Bertha Navarro’s Andean Countries Screenwriting Workshop, La Orquídea Festival and Carnaval Cine, Ecuador.
  
• Cannes Attendance Support of the Cannes Film Festival Market, France.
  
• Project Selected for the International Cartagena de Indias Film Festival Producer's Meeting, Colombia.
  
• Project Selected to the Executive Production Workshop Bolivia Lab, La Paz.
  
• Project Selected in the Coproduction Forum Europe Latin America, San Sebastián Film Festival, Spain. Won the pitch.
  
• Script Rewriting Scholarship from the Bolivia Lab. Cochabamba.
  

Studies

Bachelor's Degree in Contemporary Arts. San Francisco de Quito University.

Post-graduate degree in Film Scriptwriting at ESCAC, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

MBA in Communication and Digital Marketing. Camilo José Cela University of Madrid.

Licenciada en Artes Contemporáneas. Universidad San Francisco de Quito.

Postgrado en Guion Cinematográfico en ESCAC, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

Máster en Comunicación y Marketing Digital. Universidad Camilo José Cela de Madrid.

Film