Jaume Balagueró

Jaume Balagueró, born as Jaume Balagueró Bernat on 2nd November 1968, is a renowned Spanish film director and screenwriter. He's widely recognized for his work in the genre of horror, with his acclaimed REC series establishing a prominent place in the industry. His journey into the world of cinema began in Lleida, where he was born, before moving to Barcelona in his early years. A graduate of the University of Barcelona, he majored in communication sciences and photography in 1991. Balagueró initiated his career as a film journalist and a radio host a year later in 1992, hosting the show 'La espuma de los días' on Radio Hospitalet.

His first steps into actual film making were taken in 1994 when he shot the short film Alicia (1994) on 35mm. Emerging victorious, it won the Best Short Film at the Sitges Film Festival which was followed by similar success through his short Days without Light in 1995. Breaking into full-length cinema, he debuted with The Nameless in 1999, which was based on Ramsey Campbell's novel. It reaped several awards, being named as Best Film at the Fant-Asia Film Festival. Post a successful Spanish career, he ventured into English-language films with the supernatural horror flick Darkness in 2002, which was later released by Miramax Studios in U.S. He directed as well as co-wrote the screenplay for his notable works such as the REC series and his thriller film Sleep Tight.