died suddenly today due to an aneurysm (cerebrovascular accident) at the age of 60 and a key figure in the consolidation and renewal of film festivals in Spain. Known for its programming rigor, its sensitivity towards independent cinema and its absolute commitment to cultural dissemination, Cienfuegos leaves behind a deep and lasting mark. To date, he served as director of the Valladolid International Film Week (Seminci), after holding that position at the Gijón Festival and the Seville Festival. “After three decades dedicated to directing some of the most important festivals in Spain, culminating in the 70th edition of Seminci, José Luis Cienfuegos died today in Madrid at the age of 60,” the Seminci social networks announced a few minutes ago.
Born in Avilés, Cienfuegos. In 1995 he made the leap to directing the competition, where he spent 16 years. During that time he turned the Asturian event into the gateway to our country for the most daring and stimulating filmmakers. , also making it a spearhead for those authors who were setting the pulse of contemporary cinema, and strengthening their ties with the Spanish and European industry. 2023 was the year that marked his arrival in Valladolid, without a doubt the greatest challenge of his career.
“For three editions, he expressed his unmistakable stamp in the direction, being faithful to the history and spirit that have characterized Seminci, also leading the festival to a necessary renewal,” says the statement from the event directed by Cienfuegos. “So until the 70th edition, without a doubt one of the most successful in the long history of the contest, a perfect exponent of the conception it had of festivals: places of dialogue and knowledge through ambitious and heterodox programming, establishing vibrant bridges between creators and the public, and above all, useful and relevant spaces for the industry and filmmakers.”
Beyond the screens, he was a very important agent in the film sector in Spain, and a tireless worker who never put his name before the projects he defended. His legacy is that of a life dedicated to films finding their place, and making those who made them feel that someone truly believed in them. Not in vain, when he was fired from the Asturian festival, . “Cienfuegos adopted a multifaceted look, highlighting the fundamental role that distributors, producers, critics and the media have in promoting auteur cinema,” concludes the Seminci letter. “It radically transformed the way festivals were held in our country, making them livable places in which cinema became the pillar for the celebration of culture and life.”
The city of Valladolid has also given the news. The City Council has expressed its condolences for the death: “In these moments of pain the city is next to his family, his friends, and all the colleagues of the Festival and the world of cinema,” the City Council expressed through a message published on the social network weight. “He was a lover of life and people and an enthusiast, as well as a person full of enthusiasm. Seminci and the city of Valladolid will always remember José Luis Cienfuegos,” he added.
