Rigoberto López Pérez

Film director. Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of La Habana.
At the time of his death, he was immersed in post-production of the film El Mayor, about the life of Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz.

He worked in the Film Department of Cuban Television. Since 1971, he worked at the Cuban Institute of Film Art and Industry (ICAIC), and was one of the most prominent filmmakers of Cuban cinema.

His documentaries and fiction short films earned him recognition from the public and specialized critics in Cuba and abroad, as well as important national and international awards.

He filmed in Spain, Granada, Haiti, Panama, Ethiopia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Angola, where he served as a war correspondent. He was General Director of a telenovela in Venezuela for MARTE-TV Company, distributed by Warner Brothers.

In the United States and Puerto Rico he was a producer and director of one of his most notable films: Yo Soy del Son a la Salsa, produced by the American company R.M.M. Film Works. Invited by cultural and academic institutions from various countries, he has given lectures, workshops and seminars on: Cuban Cinema, Dramaturgy of Documentary Cinema, Aesthetics of New Latin American Cinema, Multiraciality and Identity in Cuban Society and Culture, and other topics. Some of these presentations were held at: Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland; North Western University, Chicago; New York University, NY; CUNY University, New York; John Hopkins University Washington, United States; Superior Institute of Cinema, Stockholm, Sweden; Greathing London Council, London, Great Britain; Center for Advanced Studies of the Caribbean, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Ateneo de Caracas and University of the Andes, Venezuela; Caribbean Research Center (CIDHICA), Montreal, Canada.

Representing Cuban cinema and culture, he participated in multiple international events. Theoretical articles with his signature have appeared in specialized magazines and publications in Cuba and other countries. Member of the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC). Member of the Union of Journalists of Cuba and the International Union of Journalists. He was awarded the Distinction For National Culture, granted by the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba.
He was President of the Traveling Exhibition of Caribbean Cinema from 2006 until his death.

FILMOGRAPHY
1968
De una Vieja Habana (Doc. 10´16 mm. ICRT)
1969
El arroz (Doc. 18´16mm ICRT)
1970
El puerto: Toma I (60´, 16 mm. ICRT)
1973
Ustedes tienen la palabra (Assistant Director. LM. Fict.)
1974
De cierta manera (Assistant Director. LM. Fict.)
La Quinta Frontera (Assistant Director. Doc. ICAIC)
El otro Francisco (Assistant Director. LM Fict.)
1975
Crímenes de guerra (Special work for the Roussell tribunal)
Apuntes para la historia del Movimiento Obrero Cubano (Doc. 38´ )
La primera intervención (Doc. 30´ )
1977
La lanza de la nación (Doc. 55´ )
1980
El eslabón más fuerte (Doc. 27´ )
Junto al golfo (Doc. 20´ )
Este cine nuestro (Doc. 26´ )
1982
Semillas de hombres (Doc. 9´ )
Las visitaciones de José Luciano (Doc. 32´ )
1983
Granada: el despegue de un sueño (Doc. 32´ )
1984
Pero no olvides (Doc. 60´)
1985
Roja es la tierra (Doc. 9´)
1986
África: Círculo del infierno (Doc. 50´)
1987
Los hijos de Namibia (Doc. 30´)
Breve carta de Namibia (Doc. 30´)
El viaje más largo (Doc.28´)
1988
Esta es mi alma (Doc. 28´)
La primavera prohibida (Doc. 58´)
1989
Mensajero de los Dioses (Doc. 28´)
1990
Del Caribe al Mediterráneo (Series Absences and Returns. Spanish TV Fict.-Doc. 57´)
La soledad de la jefa de despacho (SM. Fict. 20´)
1993
Pedacito de cielo (Venezuelan Telenovela. General Director. Produced by MARTE-TV for Warner Brothers)
1996
Yo soy del son a la salsa (LM. Doc. 100´)
2000
Puerto Príncipe Mío (Video. CIDIHCA. Doc. 57´)
2003
Roble de olor (Fict. 127´)
2005
Hacer Arte, Hacer Justicia (Documentary-Interview with Danny Glover 57 min. ICAIC)
2007
Figueroa (Doc. 33 min. Oak Production)

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Diploma of Artistic Merit granted by the Superior Institute of Art of Cuba.
Diploma from the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, for his contributions to Cuban art.
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea Diploma, for his contributions to Cuban Cinema and Culture.
Macandal Award for the body of work dedicated to the Caribbean. La Habana, 2008
Apuntes para la Historia del Movimiento Obrero Cubano
Film Critics Award. International Film Festival. San Sebastián, Spain, 1975.
Annual Selection of Film Critics. La Habana, 1975.
Círculo del infierno
UN Award. (UNICEF). Bilbao Festival, Spain, 1987.
Diploma from the International Federation of Film Clubs. Leipzig, GDR, 1987.
El viaje más largo
Coral Award. X International Festival of New Latin American Cinema. La Habana, 1988.
Annual Selection of Film Critics. La Habana, 1988.
Esta es mi alma
Annual Selection of Film Critics. La Habana, 1988.
Granada: Despegue de un sueño
Coral Award. V International Festival of New Latin American Cinema. La Habana, 1983.
Silver Dove. International Documentary and Short Film Festival. Leipzig, GDR, 1983.
Award from the Ibero-American Society of Culture. Bilbao Film Festival, Spain, 1983.
Sunflower Award. Most Popular Film in Cuba. Annual Survey of Opina Magazine. La Habana, 1984.
Award for Most Popular Short Film. International Film Festival of Sydney, Australia, 1984.
National Film Journalism Award. La Habana, 1984.
Caracol Award. Best Documentary. National Festival of the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. (UNEAC), 1984.
Golden Armadillo. Best Documentary Award. International Documentary Film Festival. Bahia, Brazil, 1985.
Junto al Golfo
Caracol Award for Best Photography. National Festival of the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. (UNEAC), 1980.
La Lanza de la Nación
Award from the Soviet Peace Committee. International Film Festival of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Tashkent, USSR, 1977.
La Primera Intervención
Annual Selection of Film Critics. La Habana. 1974.
La soledad de la jefa de despacho
Annual Selection of Film Critics. La Habana, 1990.
Los hijos de Namibia
Annual Selection of Film Critics. La Habana, 1987.
Mensajero de los Dioses
Caracol Award for Best Documentary. National Festival of the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. (UNEAC). La Habana, 1989.
Silver Armadillo. International Documentary Film Festival. Bahia, Brazil, 1989.
Puerto Príncipe Mío
Grand Cora Coralina Award. International Environmental Film and Video Festival. Goias. Brazil, 2000.
Roble de olor
CINED Award, granted by Educational Cinematography. XXV International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, La Habana, 2003.
Caricato Award, for best supporting female performance. Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. Cuba, 2003
Caricato Award, for best supporting male performance. Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. Cuba, 2003.
Vigía Award, granted by the Matanzas subsection. XXV International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, La Habana, 2003.
DIKALO Award for Best Fiction Film. Pan-African Festival of Cannes. Paris, France, 2006.
Special Jury Award. International Festival Mirrors and Cinema of Africas. Marseille, France
Grand Award for best film. Pan-African Festival of Cannes. France, 2008
Semilla de hombres
Annual Selection of Film Critics. La Habana, 1982.
Yo soy del son a la salsa
First Coral Award. XVIII International Festival of New Latin American Cinema. La Habana, 1996.
Award from the Association of Film Critics of Cuba. La Habana, 1996.
Special Jury Award and Audience Award. International Cinema-Fest Festival. San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1996.
Award from the Magazine Revolution and Culture for Best Documentary on an Artistic or Cultural Theme. La Habana, 1996.
Trophy from the Latin American Film Festival. Lleida, Spain, 1997.
Selected among the three most popular films. Latin Film Festival. Chicago, United States, 1997.
Golden Kikito. Special Jury Award. International Festival of Latin and Brazilian Cinema. Gramado, Brazil. 1997.
Golden Armadillo. Best Feature Documentary Award. International Documentary Film Festival. Bahia, Brazil, 1997.
Award from the Association of Entertainment Reporters of New York, United States, 1998.
Best Soundtrack Award. New York Latin Film Festival, United States, 1998.