Javier Aguirresarobe

Javier Aguirresarobe
Born (1948-10-10) 10 October 1948 (age 76)
OccupationCinematographer

Javier Aguirresarobe Zubía (born 10 October 1948) is a Basque Spanish cinematographer. After garnering several Goya Awards in his home country, he became widely known internationally for his work on The Others (2001), directed by Alejandro Amenábar. Among many others, he has worked on Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), Twilight film series (2009–2010), and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).

Early life and education

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Javier Aguirresarobe Zubía was born in Eibar, Guipúzcoa, Basque Country, Spain, on 10 October 1948.[1] He has an older brother who was an industrial photographer, whom he used to help in the lab as a teenager, and this sparked his passion for photography.[2]

After earning a Diploma in Optics,[3] He moved to Madrid to study journalism, and worked at various newspapers before deciding to change tack. He studied cinematography at the Official School of Cinematography,[1] which has close links to the Spanish film industry. Only the top nine students in the entrance exam were admitted to the cinematography course. The students used 35mm film.[2]

Career

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In 1983, Aguirresarobe's first work as cinematographer was for "a very small movie", La Muerte de Mikel (The Death of Mikel), which turned out to be a success at the box office.[2]

He has mostly worked alone, but once worked with Spanish cinematographer Luis Cuadrado[2] (The Spirit of the Beehive).

He first attracted international attention with the 1997 film Secrets of the Heart, and even more in 2001 with The Others, directed by Alejandro Amenábar and starring Nicole Kidman.[4]

Aguirresarobe was cinematographer for the 2015 feature film Goosebumps.[5]

Aguirresarobe has worked with Spanish directors such as Imanol Uribe, Montxo Armendáriz, Alejandro Amenábar, Pedro Almodóvar, Julio Médem, Montxo Armendáriz, and Fernando Trueba, and internationally, Miloš Forman, John Hillcoat, and Woody Allen.[1]

Aguirresarobe worked as cinematographer for the film adaptation of New Moon, released in 2009, and on the Twilight film series.

Filmography

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Feature film

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Year Title Director Notes
1978 What's a Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? Fernando Colomo
1983 Que nos quiten lo bailao Carles Mira
1984 La Muerte de Mikel Imanol Uribe
El jardín secreto Carlos Suárez
El pico 2 Eloy de la Iglesia
1985 Eternal Fire José Ángel Rebolledo
Golfo de Vizcaya Javier Rebollo
1986 27 Hours Montxo Armendáriz
1987 Laura, del cielo llega la noche Gonzalo Herralde
La oveja negra Román Chalbaud
El bosque animado José Luis Cuerda
1991 Don Juan in Hell Gonzalo Suárez
Prince of Shadows Pilar Miró
1993 The Dead Mother Juanma Bajo Ulloa
¡Dispara! Carlos Saura
O Fio do Horizonte Fernando Lopes
1994 Una chica entre un millón Álvaro Sáenz de Heredia
Días contados Imanol Uribe
1995 Ainsi soient-elles Patrick Alessandrin
Lisa Azuelos
Antarctica Manuel Huerga
Fiesta Pierre Boutron
1996 Earth Julio Medem
Your Name Poisons My Dreams Pilar Miró
Bwana Imanol Uribe
The Dog in the Manger Pilar Miró
1997 Secrets of the Heart Montxo Armendáriz
99.9 Agustí Villaronga
1998 The Girl of Your Dreams Fernando Trueba
The Miracle of P. Tinto Javier Fesser
1999 La fuente amarilla Miguel Santesmases
2000 Salsa Joyce Buñuel
Masterpiece David Trueba
2001 The Others Alejandro Amenábar
2002 Desire Gerardo Vera
Soldiers of Salamina David Trueba
Talk to Her Pedro Almodóvar
2003 Mauvais esprit Patrick Alessandrin
2004 The Bridge of San Luis Rey Mary McGuckian
The Sea Inside Alejandro Amenábar
2005 Ants in the Mouth Mariano Barroso
Obaba Montxo Armendáriz
2006 Goya's Ghosts Miloš Forman
2007 La carta esférica Imanol Uribe
2008 Tear This Heart Out Roberto Sneider
The City of Your Final Destination James Ivory
Vicky Cristina Barcelona Woody Allen
2009 The Road John Hillcoat
The Twilight Saga: New Moon Chris Weitz
2010 The Twilight Saga: Eclipse David Slade
2011 A Better Life Chris Weitz
Fright Night Craig Gillespie
2012 The Five-Year Engagement Nicholas Stoller
2013 Blue Jasmine Woody Allen
Identity Thief Seth Gordon
Warm Bodies Jonathan Levine
2014 The Perfect Dictatorship Luis Estrada
2015 Poltergeist Gil Kenan
Goosebumps Rob Letterman
2016 The Finest Hours Craig Gillespie
The Promise Terry George
The Healer Paco Arango
2017 Thor: Ragnarok Taika Waititi
2018 The Etruscan Smile Oded Binnun
Mihal Brezis
Blue Night Fabien Constant
Operation Finale Chris Weitz
2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold James Bobin
2022 Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile Will Speck
Josh Gordon
Across the River and into the Trees Paula Ortiz
2024 Afraid Chris Weitz

Television

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Year Title Director Notes
1989 Sabbath Imanol Uribe Episode "La luna negra"
1990 La forja de un rebelde Mario Camus 2 episodes
1997 Autor por autor Pilar Miró

Awards and nominations

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In 2004, he won the Spanish National Photography Award.[3]

In 2009, Aguirresarobe was one of two recipients to be awarded the Universal Basque Prize by the Lehendakari (the Basque president) "in recognition of their endeavours to disseminate the image of the Basque Country outside its frontiers in the seat of the Lehendakaritza".[6]

In 2012[4] Aguirresarobe was honoured with membership of the American Society of Cinematographers on the recommendation of Steven Poster, Julio Macat, and Rodrigo Prieto.[2]

Goya Awards[1]

Year Title Category Result
1987 El bosque animado Best Cinematography Nominated
1991 Don Juan in Hell Nominated
Prince of Shadows Won
1994 Días contados Nominated
1996 The Dog in the Manger Won
1998 The Girl of Your Dreams Nominated
2001 The Others Won
2002 Soldiers of Salamina Won
2004 The Sea Inside Won
2005 Obaba Nominated

Sitges Film Festival

Year Title Category Result
1997 99.9 Best Cinematography Won[7]

BAFTA Awards

Year Title Category Result
2009 The Road Best Cinematography Nominated

San Diego Film Critics Society

Year Title Category Result
2009 The Road Best Cinematography Won

Houston Film Critics Society

Year Title Category Result
2009 The Road Best Cinematography Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Javier Aguirresarobe Zubía". Spanish Culture. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Javier Aguirresarobe, ASC, AEC". ASC Close-Up. American Society of Cinematographers. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  3. ^ a b Aguirresarobe, Javier (20 February 2016). "Javier Aguirresarobe" (audio (25 min.) + text). CanalEuropa (Interview). Interviewed by Angulo, Jesús. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Javier Aguirresarobe ASC (Director of Photography)". Sony Classics. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  5. ^ Matt Workman (21 October 2015). "The Cinematography of Goosebumps Javier Aguirresarobe". Cinematography Database. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Aguirresarobe and Urmeneta receive the 2009 Universal Basque Prize". Irekia Eusko Jaurlaritza. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  7. ^ Torreiro, Casimiro (19 October 1997). "El festival de cine de Sitges se clausura con unos premios polémicos". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 November 2022.
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