Casas, Armando

He studied dramatic and theatrical literature and communication at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and cinematography at the CUEC-UNAM film school. He received a grant from the National Fund for Culture and the Arts (FONCA), Mexico, in 1997 and in 1999. He participated in more than 20 festivals around the world with his first feature film Un mundo raro (2001), which won, among other prizes, an Honorable Mention for the Critics’ Award and the OCIC Award at the 16th Mexican Independent Film Festival, Guadalajara; the Ariel for Best Male Co-Lead at the 44th Ariel Awards Ceremony, Mexico; and the OCIC Award at the Iberoamerican Film Festival of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. His short fiction film Para vestir santos (2004) participated in more than 30 national and international festivals, including the 2nd Morelia International Film Festival (FICM); the 58th Cannes Film Festival in the section Tous les Cinémas du Monde; the 27th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France; and the 38th International Film Festival of Huesca, Spain. He participated in the 29th Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG, in Spanish) and the 14th Puerto Vallarta International Film Festival (FICPV, in Spanish), with his feature-length documentary Familia Gang (2013). He is co-author of Cine mexicano entre dos siglos, reflejos de una evolución, published by Valladolid International Film Festival, Spain, and author of Alfonso Arau: Así es la vida, published by University of Guadalajara. From 2004 to 2012, he was director of CUEC-UNAM film school. He is currently in post-production of his latest feature film Malacopa (2016).