THE 8TH EDITION OF LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS THE LADY HARIMAGUADA AWARD OF HONOUR POSTHUMOUSLY TO THE DIRECTOR ANTONIO BETANCOR
The Canary Island producer was a member of the International Jury of the first edition of the competition and was part of its advisory committee from the second edition until his death, on October 3rd 2006
Antonio Betancor (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 1942) studied Law and qualified at the Official School of Filmmaking with the practical piece of work El último trabajo (1971), he did several film courses at the University of Southern California (United States). Betancor settled in Madrid and worked there as assistant director to Mario Camus and directed several episodes of the series Paisajes con figuras for Televisión Española.
His production of films was limited, even so, some of them set a trend by dealing with themes concerning the more recent history of our country, the Spanish Civil War and the post-war period.
Considered by the critics as an efficient director of literary adaptations, Betancor dealt with the adaptation of the biographical novel of Ramón J. Sender, Crónica del alba, with rigour, done in two parts 1919. Crónica del alba (1983) and starring, among others, the international actor Anthony Quinn and a young Jorge Sanz.
His first feature film was Sitting on the Edge of Tomorrow with the Feet Hanging, (1978) with Miguel Bosé, Beatriz Elorrieta and Josefa Yuste, however, the work that is best known by the Canary Island public was Mararía, 1998, the adaptation of the novel of the same name by the Tenerife author Rafael Arozarena. Betancor was responsible for the discovery of the Canary Island actress Goya Toledo, to whom he gave the opportunity to star in this ripping love story with Carmelo Gómez, Iain Glenn, Mirtha Ibarra and José Manuel Cervino.
Antonio Betancor will be given a fitting homage, both for his work in the national film scene as well as for his contribution and unconditional help to the film panorama of the Islands and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Film Festival.