Jose C.
Barcelona, Spain
$1000 - $1500
1 reviewDirector, José Luis R. Cortés
José Luis R. Cortés is a producer, director and independent photographer based in Spain, with extensive experience in the production of film and television.
Born in Barcelona, José Luis studied to become an accountant, but that…never happened! In stead he focused on photography and began his professional career as a photographer in magazines such as "Solo Moto", "El Periódico" or "Todo Sport".
For 18 years he lived in the United States. He worked as a photographer and cinematographer for the news agency Europe-Press, and in the independent production company CIM, based in Miami, where he covered a wide range of social, cultural and sports events, including the Tournament of Tennis Sony Ericsson.
After moving to New York, he worked as a social photographer for the Grupo Mexicano Expansión, for the senior editor of the magazine "Quién", and also for Gallco Productions, producing and making commercial photography of the Verizon and Jack Daniels brands, as well as numerous segments of the "Urban Latino TV" program, aired on the Metro Channel cable channel. Among those segments he introduced Opera and classical music to broad audiences, interviewing classical artists of such as Juan Diego Flores or Ángel Corella to name few.
Mr. Cortés produced and directed the 25-minute documentary entitled "Orphans", based on a play with the same tittle by Lyle Kessler, about the struggles of a small independent theater company producing their first play in Manhattan; he was the director of photography in the documentary titled "Symphony" launched in June 2003 and commissioned by the Youth Orchestra of the Americas and the Deutsche Bank, Winner of the Best Documentary Prize at the Orinda Film Festival. He also worked as a cinematographer in the second documentary of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, entitled "Legacy".
With his colleague Álvaro Domingo, he has produced the corporate image and promotional videos of Plácido Domingo’ Operalia, The World Opera Competition, as well as a documentary based on the opera super star Plácido Domingo’s performance of the opera Macbeth, in three continents.
During 2013 he worked as cinematographer of the documentary "Maravilla", un luchador” based on the life of the boxing world champion Sergio Maravilla Martínez. The documentary was widely accepted by the public and won an award for the Best Editing at the International Festival of Mar del Plata and a great reception by the public at the Tribeca Festival in New York. He also worked as a director of photography in the documentary Waiting, Winner in several festivals including the NYC Independent Film Festival.
In 2018 he finished his first feature film: “The Bohemians”, based on the famous opera La Bohème. The film will be release in the fall of 2019.
With his wife, producer María Rueda, he founded a creative production company called Boulangerie Films SL, producing material for diverse clients such as Plácido Domingo’s Operalia Competition, National Geographic, soccer super star David Villa, DV7 Soccer academy, The Players Tribune, Designated Player, Telemundo, TNT, Bleacher Report, Euronews or Spoon Agency among others. They also produce and direct their own projects.
José Luis recently moved back to Madrid, Spain, where he lives and works with his wife. His photos and paintings have been exhibited in different places in New York and the United States.
- Documentary DP
- Corporate Videographer
- Non-Fiction Film Director
- Video Editor - Documentary
- Landscape Photographer
- News Shooter / Video Journalist
- Commercial DP
- Fixer
- Production Assistant