Isaki Lacuesta

Isaki Lacuesta (born 28 November 1975 in Girona, Spain) is a renowned Spanish film director and academic whose career spans documentary, narrative cinema and video art. Although publicly known as Isaki, his birth name is Iñaki Lacuesta, a nod to his Basque family roots, and he deliberately altered the spelling to reflect a more distinctive artistic identity. He pursued audiovisual communication at the Autonomous University of Barcelona before obtaining a master’s degree in documentary filmmaking at Pompeu Fabra University, where he later joined the faculty as a lecturer in documentary practice. Lacuesta’s teaching portfolio extends across several institutions, including the Centre d'estudis cinematogràfics de Catalunya and the University of Girona, underscoring his commitment to nurturing the next generation of filmmakers. Since the turn of the millennium, Lacuesta has cultivated a prolific filmography marked by thematic depth and formal experimentation. His early work Caras vs Caras (2000) introduced a stark visual language that would mature in later projects such as Los pasos dobles (2011), which earned the prestigious Golden Shell for Best Film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. Other notable titles include La propera pell (2016), Entre dos aguas (2018) and the recent Segundo premio (Saturn Return) (2024), each reflecting his evolving interest in identity, memory and societal borders. He frequently collaborates with his long‑time partner, writer and director Isa Campo, a partnership that blends personal intimacy with creative synergy. Across his career, Lacuesta has received numerous accolades, from the Spanish FIPRESCI Prize (2009) to the Caracola a la trayectoria award (2011), cementing his status as a pivotal figure in contemporary Spanish cinema. Beyond the screen, his academic contributions and public talks continue to influence both scholars and practitioners, making him a vital conduit between artistic exploration and pedagogical discourse.