OBIT - ELIAS QUEREJETA

It is to my utmost shame that I am a full three weeks late in posting an obituary to the Spanish film producer Elias Querejeta, who died on the 9th of June in Madrid. Known particularly for his collaboration with seminal director Carlos Saura, with whom he worked on such films as The Hunt, Cousin Angelica, Cria Cuervos and Mama Turns 100, he was one of the most important figures in bringing Spanish cinema to life during the '60s and '70s, towards the end of fascism in the country and thereafter. He also served producing duties on films such as The Spirit of the Beehive, El Sur, The City of Lost Children and Mondays in the Sun. I'm looking forward to Saura's upcoming 33 Days, starring Antonio Banderas as Pablo Picasso and Gwyneth Paltrow as Dora Maar, which Querejeta co-wrote, and which will be shot by the great Vittorio Storaro. His name may not be known to many, but his considerable contribution to cinema was undeniable.