# Fernando Trueba

> Spanish film director (born 1955)

**Wikidata**: [Q381934](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q381934)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Trueba)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/fernando-trueba

## Summary

Fernando Trueba is a Spanish film director, screenwriter, film producer, actor, and animator born in 1955. Active since 1974, he has been recognized with some of the most prestigious honors in European cinema, including the Silver Shell for Best Director at the San Sebastián Film Festival, the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film, and the French Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. He is affiliated with the Complutense University of Madrid and maintains his official presence at fernandotrueba.com.

## Biography

- **Born:** 1955
- **Nationality:** Spanish (Spain — country in southwestern Europe with territories in Africa)
- **Education:** Affiliated with the Complutense University of Madrid, a public university in Madrid, Spain (founded 1970, with over 10,500 employees)
- **Known for:** Directing, writing, producing, and animating films across multiple genres and formats
- **Employer(s):** Complutense University of Madrid
- **Field(s):** Film directing, screenwriting, film production, acting, animation
- **Active from:** 1974
- **Official website:** http://www.fernandotrueba.com/

## Contributions

Fernando Trueba has built a multifaceted career in filmmaking spanning directing, screenwriting, producing, acting, and animation — a rare combination of creative roles within the industry. Beginning his professional work in 1974, he has controlled the artistic and dramatic aspects of numerous film productions as a director, while also writing screenplays for films, television, and other media. As a film producer, he has supervised the making of films from development through completion. His work as an animator — creating animated sequences from still images — culminated in winning the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film, an award category established in 2009. His directorial achievements were recognized at the San Sebastián Film Festival, where he received the Silver Shell for Best Director, one of the festival's highest honors. His cross-cultural significance was further acknowledged by France, which awarded him the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, the first rank of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, recognizing significant contributions to the arts and literature.

## FAQs

**What roles does Fernando Trueba hold in the film industry?**
He works as a film director, screenwriter, film producer, actor, and animator — covering nearly every creative role in filmmaking from writing and directing to producing and performing.

**When did Fernando Trueba begin his career?**
His professional work period began in 1974, and he has remained active in the decades since.

**What awards has Fernando Trueba won?**
He has received three notable honors: the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film, the Silver Shell for Best Director at the San Sebastián Film Festival (Spain), and the French Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.

**Is Fernando Trueba affiliated with any university?**
Yes, he is affiliated with the Complutense University of Madrid, a major public university in Madrid, Spain.

**What is Fernando Trueba's nationality?**
He is Spanish, from Spain — a country in southwestern Europe with territories in Africa.

## Why They Matter

Fernando Trueba's significance lies in the breadth and depth of his contributions to Spanish and European cinema. Working across five distinct creative roles — director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and animator — he embodies a rare versatility that has allowed him to shape films from every angle of production. His Silver Shell for Best Director at San Sebastián, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the Spanish-speaking world, places him among the elite directors recognized by that institution. Winning the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film demonstrates his ability to excel beyond live-action filmmaking into animation, a field requiring entirely different technical and artistic skills. The French government's recognition through the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres underscores that his influence extends well beyond Spain's borders, marking him as a cultural figure of international importance. His affiliation with the Complutense University of Madrid, one of Spain's most prominent public academic institutions, further cements his role as a bridge between cinematic practice and education. Without Trueba, Spanish cinema would lack one of its most decorated and multidisciplinary voices, and European animation would be missing an award-winning champion.

## Notable For

- Spanish film director active since 1974, with a career spanning over five decades
- Winner of the Silver Shell for Best Director at the San Sebastián Film Festival
- Winner of the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film
- Recipient of the French Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (first rank of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres)
- One of the rare filmmakers to work professionally as both a live-action director and an animator
- Affiliated with the Complutense University of Madrid, a major Spanish public university
- Multidisciplinary career encompassing directing, screenwriting, producing, acting, and animation

## Body

### Identity and Background

Fernando Trueba is a human, a Spanish national born in 1955. Spain, his country of origin, is located in southwestern Europe and holds the distinction of having territories in Africa. His professional identity spans multiple creative disciplines within the film industry, making him one of the most versatile figures in Spanish cinema.

### Career Beginnings and Scope

Trueba's work period officially began in 1974. Over the course of his career, he has occupied the following professional roles:

- **Film director:** Controlling the artistic and dramatic aspects of film productions
- **Screenwriter:** Writing for films, television shows, comics, and games
- **Film producer:** Supervising the making of films
- **Actor:** Performing in dramatic or comic productions across film, television, theatre, or radio
- **Animator:** Creating animated sequences out of still images
- **Director (general):** Serving as director of creative works

This combination of roles — particularly the intersection of live-action directing with animation — distinguishes him from many of his contemporaries.

### Institutional Affiliation

Trueba is affiliated with the **Complutense University of Madrid**, a public university located in Madrid, Spain. The university, which traces its modern inception to 1970, operates under Spanish jurisdiction and employs approximately 10,506 people. This affiliation connects Trueba to one of Spain's largest and most significant academic institutions, suggesting a role in education or academic collaboration alongside his professional filmmaking career.

### Awards and International Recognition

Trueba's work has earned him three major recognitions:

1. **Silver Shell for Best Director** — An award presented at the San Sebastián Film Festival in Spain. This is one of the festival's premier honors, recognizing outstanding directorial achievement.

2. **European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film** — An award category that was inaugurated in 2009. Trueba's win in this category places him among the first group of filmmakers to be recognized for excellence in European animated feature filmmaking.

3. **Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres** — The first and lowest rank of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, a French order awarded by the country (identified as  in the data) to individuals who have distinguished themselves through significant contributions to arts or literature. This honor recognizes Trueba's cultural impact beyond Spanish borders.

### Digital Presence

Trueba maintains an official website at http://www.fernandotrueba.com/. He has a Wikipedia presence under the title "Fernando Trueba" with 33 sitelinks across various language editions, indicating broad international recognition and documentation of his work across global knowledge platforms.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. Czech National Authority Database
4. www.acmi.net.au
5. catalogue of Eye Film Museum
6. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/European-Film-Awards-Winners-2011.62.0.html)
7. International Standard Name Identifier
8. SNAC
9. Babelio
10. Munzinger Personen
11. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
12. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2012)
13. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/2000.98.0.html)
14. [Source](https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/2011.109.0.html)
15. Autoritats UB
16. BBC Things
17. Cinemathèque québécoise Linked Open Data
18. The Movie Database