José María Riba (Barcelona, 1951). Since the 1970s, José María Riba has worked in journalism, namely radio and print media, focusing on cinema and music. It was around this time that he completed his studies at the Escuela Normal, in Donostia San Sebastián. He also studied at the Complutense in Madrid and graduated from the Centre de Formation des Journalistes (CFJ) in Paris, where he worked professionally at Radio France Internationale (RFI). Later he worked for the French daily Libération, and was a correspondent for Spanish magazines and newspapers. In 1981, he became a writer for the publications department of the first Basque Parliament; since 1982, he has been a journalist for the France Presse news agency (AFP); and from 1988 to 2002, he was a host on the television station CineClassics. In 1980, he joined the team that organizes the International Film Festival of San Sebastián, and was part of their Executive Committee until 2006. In 2007, he coordinated professional activities within the San Sebastián Festival, including Films in Progress and Cinema in Motion, both of which he initiated. In the 1990s, he worked half a dozen years for the Cannes Festival on the Critics’ Week selection committee, for which he was the general director in 2000 and 2001. Currently, he assists the general director of the festival, informing him of the films being produced in Spain and Latin America. Riba was a consultant for the European Film Academy, which offers awards within the European film industry and today he is a member of the Euromed Cinemas and Europa Cinémas expert committees. In 2005, he co-founded Espagnolas en París, a group of film professionals that promotes Spanish cinema in France and organizes the Différent! festival.
José María Riba (Barcelona, 1951). Since the 1970s, José María Riba has worked in journalism, namely radio and print media, focusing on cinema and music. It was around this time that he completed his studies at the Escuela Normal, in Donostia San Sebastián. He also studied at the Complutense in Madrid and graduated from the Centre de Formation des Journalistes (CFJ) in Paris, where he worked professionally at Radio France Internationale (RFI). Later he worked for the French daily Libération, and was a correspondent for Spanish magazines and newspapers. In 1981, he became a writer for the publications department of the first Basque Parliament; since 1982, he has been a journalist for the France Presse news agency (AFP); and from 1988 to 2002, he was a host on the television station CineClassics. In 1980, he joined the team that organizes the International Film Festival of San Sebastián, and was part of their Executive Committee until 2006. In 2007, he coordinated professional activities within the San Sebastián Festival, including Films in Progress and Cinema in Motion, both of which he initiated. In the 1990s, he worked half a dozen years for the Cannes Festival on the Critics’ Week selection committee, for which he was the general director in 2000 and 2001. Currently, he assists the general director of the festival, informing him of the films being produced in Spain and Latin America. Riba was a consultant for the European Film Academy, which offers awards within the European film industry and today he is a member of the Euromed Cinemas and Europa Cinémas expert committees. In 2005, he co-founded Espagnolas en París, a group of film professionals that promotes Spanish cinema in France and organizes the Différent! festival.
