Javier Aguirresarobe

Javier Aguirresarobe
Born (1948-10-10) 10 October 1948
Alma materEscuela Oficial de Cine
Years active1969–present

Javier Aguirresarobe Zubía ASC (born 10 October 1948) is a Spanish cinematographer. After working primarily in Spanish movies during the 1980s and 1990s, he gained international recognition for his work on The Others (2001). From there, he worked mostly in Hollywood productions, ranging across multiple genres. He is a five-time Goya Award winner (out of 10 total nominations) and a BAFTA Award nominee, among other accolades.

Early life and education

Javier Aguirresarobe Zubía was born in Eibar, Guipúzcoa, Basque Country, Spain, on 10 October 1948.[1] He has an older brother who was an industrial photographer, whom he used to help in the lab as a teenager, and this sparked his passion for photography.[2]

After earning a Diploma in Optics,[3] He moved to Madrid to study journalism, and worked at various newspapers before deciding to change tack. He studied cinematography at the Official School of Cinematography,[1] which has close links to the Spanish film industry. Only the top nine students in the entrance exam were admitted to the cinematography course. The students used 35mm film.[2]

Career

In 1983, Aguirresarobe's first work as cinematographer was for "a very small movie", La Muerte de Mikel (The Death of Mikel), which turned out to be a success at the box office.[2]

He first attracted international attention with the 1997 film Secrets of the Heart, and even more in 2001 with The Others, directed by Alejandro Amenábar and starring Nicole Kidman.[4]

Aguirresarobe has worked with Spanish directors such as Imanol Uribe, Montxo Armendáriz, Alejandro Amenábar, Pedro Almodóvar, Julio Médem, Montxo Armendáriz, and Fernando Trueba, and internationally, with Miloš Forman, John Hillcoat, Woody Allen and Chris Weitz.[1]

Honors

In 2004, he won the Spanish National Photography Award.[3]

In 2009, Aguirresarobe was one of two recipients to be awarded the Universal Basque Prize by the Lehendakari (the Basque president) "in recognition of their endeavours to disseminate the image of the Basque Country outside its frontiers in the seat of the Lehendakaritza".[5]

In 2012, Aguirresarobe was honoured with membership of the American Society of Cinematographers on the recommendation of Steven Poster, Julio Macat, and Rodrigo Prieto.[2][4]

Filmography

Key
Denotes titles that have not yet been released

Feature films

Year Title Director Notes
1978 What's a Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? Fernando Colomo
1983 Que nos quiten lo bailao Carles Mira
1984 La Muerte de Mikel Imanol Uribe
El jardín secreto Carlos Suárez
El pico 2 Eloy de la Iglesia
1985 Eternal Fire José Ángel Rebolledo
Golfo de Vizcaya Javier Rebollo
1986 27 Hours Montxo Armendáriz
1987 Laura, del cielo llega la noche Gonzalo Herralde
La oveja negra Román Chalbaud
The Enchanted Forest José Luis Cuerda
1991 Don Juan in Hell Gonzalo Suárez
Prince of Shadows Pilar Miró
1993 The Dead Mother Juanma Bajo Ulloa
¡Dispara! Carlos Saura
O Fio do Horizonte Fernando Lopes
1994 Una chica entre un millón Álvaro Sáenz de Heredia
Días contados Imanol Uribe
1995 Ainsi soient-elles Patrick Alessandrin
Lisa Azuelos
Antarctica Manuel Huerga
Fiesta Pierre Boutron
1996 Earth Julio Medem
Your Name Poisons My Dreams Pilar Miró
Bwana Imanol Uribe
The Dog in the Manger Pilar Miró
1997 Secrets of the Heart Montxo Armendáriz
99.9 Agustí Villaronga
1998 The Girl of Your Dreams Fernando Trueba
The Miracle of P. Tinto Javier Fesser
1999 La fuente amarilla Miguel Santesmases
2000 Salsa Joyce Buñuel
Masterpiece David Trueba
2001 The Others Alejandro Amenábar
2002 Desire Gerardo Vera
Soldiers of Salamina David Trueba
Talk to Her Pedro Almodóvar
2003 Mauvais esprit Patrick Alessandrin
2004 The Bridge of San Luis Rey Mary McGuckian
The Sea Inside Alejandro Amenábar
2005 Ants in the Mouth Mariano Barroso
Obaba Montxo Armendáriz
2006 Goya's Ghosts Miloš Forman
2007 La carta esférica Imanol Uribe
2008 Tear This Heart Out Roberto Sneider
The City of Your Final Destination James Ivory
Vicky Cristina Barcelona Woody Allen
2009 The Road John Hillcoat
The Twilight Saga: New Moon Chris Weitz
2010 The Twilight Saga: Eclipse David Slade
2011 A Better Life Chris Weitz
Fright Night Craig Gillespie
2012 The Five-Year Engagement Nicholas Stoller
2013 Blue Jasmine Woody Allen
Identity Thief Seth Gordon
Warm Bodies Jonathan Levine
2014 The Perfect Dictatorship Luis Estrada
2015 Poltergeist Gil Kenan
Goosebumps Rob Letterman
2016 The Finest Hours Craig Gillespie
The Promise Terry George
The Healer Paco Arango
2017 Thor: Ragnarok Taika Waititi
2018 The Etruscan Smile Oded Binnun
Mihal Brezis
Here and Now Fabien Constant
Operation Finale Chris Weitz
2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold James Bobin
2022 Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile Will Speck
Josh Gordon
Across the River and into the Trees Paula Ortiz
2024 Afraid Chris Weitz
2026 Day Drinker Marc Webb Post-production

Short films

Year Title Director Notes
1969 El espíritu Juan Tamariz With José Luis Sanz Benito
1973 Escena José Ángel Rebolledo
1974 Lola, Paz y yo Miguel Ángel Díez
La danza de lo gracioso: Barregarearen dantza Montxo Armendáriz
1975 En un París imaginario Fernando Colomo
1976 Pomporrutas imperiales
Ir por lana Miguel Ángel Díez
Una pareja como las demás
1978 Irrintzi Mirentxu Loxarte
1979 Ikuska-3 Antton Merikaetxeberria
1980 Ikusmena Montxo Armendáriz
Paisaje
1983 Guipuzkoa Donostia: Costa guipuzcoana Imanol Uribe
1994 Aquel ritmillo Javier Fesser
1996 Agurra Iñaki Elizalde
1997 Haika mutil Imanol Uribe
1999 Lorca Iñaki Elizalde
2000 El chico en la puerta Alberto Palma
2018 Tócate Eduardo Chapero-Jackson

Documentary works

Year Title Director Notes
1985 The Basque Whalers of Labrador Thomas Cadieux
1989 Donde termina el corazón Carlos Scola
1992 Dream of Light Víctor Erice With Ángel Luis Fernández and José Luis López-Linares
1993 Marathon Carlos Saura
2003 Eric Clapton and Friends Jana Bokova

Documentary shorts

Year Title Director Notes
1977 Ez Imanol Uribe
1979 Ikuska 2 Pedro Olea
1980 Ikuska 4 Xabier Elorriaga
Ikuska 8 Koldo Larrañaga
1981 Ikuska 11 Montxo Armendáriz
1983 La huella árabe en España Jaime de Armiñán With Teo Escamilla
Ikuska 13. Euskal kanta berria. La nueva canción vasca Imanol Uribe
1985 Bihotzez Pedro Olea
1988 Ngira: Gorilas en la montaña Carlos Scola

Television

Year Title Director Notes
1989 Sabbath Imanol Uribe Episode "La luna negra"
1990 La forja de un rebelde Mario Camus 2 episodes
1997 Autor por autor Pilar Miró

Awards and nominations

Year Title Category Result
1987 El bosque animado Best Cinematography Nominated
1991 Don Juan in Hell Nominated
Prince of Shadows Won
1994 Días contados Nominated
1996 The Dog in the Manger Won
1998 The Girl of Your Dreams Nominated
2001 The Others Won
2002 Soldiers of Salamina Won
2004 The Sea Inside Won
2005 Obaba Nominated
Year Title Category Result
1997 99.9 Best Cinematography Won[6]
Year Title Category Result
2009 The Road Best Cinematography Nominated
Year Title Category Result
2009 The Road Best Cinematography Won
Year Title Category Result
2009 The Road Best Cinematography Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Javier Aguirresarobe Zubía". Spanish Culture. Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Javier Aguirresarobe, ASC, AEC". ASC Close-Up. American Society of Cinematographers. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  3. ^ a b Aguirresarobe, Javier (20 February 2016). "Javier Aguirresarobe" (audio (25 min.) + text). CanalEuropa (Interview). Interviewed by Angulo, Jesús. Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Javier Aguirresarobe ASC (Director of Photography)". Sony Classics. Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Aguirresarobe and Urmeneta receive the 2009 Universal Basque Prize". Irekia Eusko Jaurlaritza. 1 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  6. ^ Torreiro, Casimiro (19 October 1997). "El festival de cine de Sitges se clausura con unos premios polémicos". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.