Santiago García de Leániz

Born in Madrid, Spain in 1963. Studied Theater and Film History in Victoria, B.C. Canada 1979-84. Degree on Film making by The London Film School 1985-87. He moved to Madrid in 1988 where he began to work as production manager and assistant director in both documentaries and feature films. In 1991 he founded the film production company Producciones La Iguana s.l. (es), working since then as producer and director. After producing and/or directing short 35 mm fiction films and documentaries such as Entretiempo (1992), Los amigos del muerto (1994), or 100% cubano (1993), in 1995 he produced the directorial debut of his company partner Icíar Bollaín's, Hola, ¿estás sola? (1995), which received several international prizes and honors and was one of Spain's 1996 box office hits. Flowers from Another World (1999) directed by Icíar Bollaín, was his second feature film as producer. The film won Best Film Award at the International Critics' Week, Cannes Film Festival 1999, and was released nationwide in Spain during 1996 becoming a both critics and audience top rated film. Producer of 'Iciar Bollain' 's third feature film, Take My Eyes (2003), winner of 7 Goyas Spanish Academy Awards including Best Film. During 2005 he produced the documentary feature El tren de la memoria (2005), about Spanish emigration to Europe in the 1960s and the feature film La noche del hermano (2005), this one as his directorial debut. Producer of Icíar Bollaín's Mataharis (2007), Official Section at San Sebastian Int. Film Fest and nominated to 6 Goya awards. In 2012 produced and directed the 30' min. documentary art film Cloud of the Rising Sun (2011). Semifinalist at Action/Cut Hollywood International Film Festival 2012. He has recently produced short fiction film Estraperlo (2023) (Contraband). He is a member of the European Film Academy.