‘IT’S HARder to make people laugh than to make them Cry’

Maria Ripoll

‘IT’S HARder to make people laugh than make them Cry’

Maria Ripoll
about

Maria

Maria Ripoll  is an award-winning Spanish film director with an international background and outlook.  She is currently the highest-grossing female film director in Spanish history, with more than a dozen feature films to her credit.

Maria studied at the American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles.  Her short film, KILL ME LATER, won the First Prize in the Oberhausen Film Festival and the Panavision Grant at the Houston Film Festival. She then directed her first feature-length film, TWICE UPON A YESTERDAY or IF ONLY , starring Lena Headey, Douglas Henshall and Penelope Cruz. The film won Best Screenplay at the Montreal Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Sitges Film Festival, the Seattle Women’s Film Festival and led to Maria being nominated for a Goya (Spain’s Oscars) for Best New Director.

After this, Maria directed TORTILLA SOUP in Los Angeles starring Hector Elizondo, Jacqueline Obradors, Raquel Welch and Elizabeth Peña. It was produced by Samuel Goldwyn Jr and was a noted success, breaking Latin American stereotypes on it’s way to nine nominations at the ALMA Awards.  She then directed WITNESS, a documentary shot in New York for Canal Plus.

Returning to Spain, Maria shot the thriller feature film UTOPIA, which was a top choice with critics and the public alike. In Barcelona she then directed YOUR LIFE IN 65’, based on the play by Albert Espinosa. “65” was invited to numerous festivals, including the AFI Los Angeles Film Festival and the Stockholm International Film Festival and was another success in Spain. For Spanish television Maria directed FAME, EVERYTHING FOR A DREAM for TVE and then turned to producing as well as directing with CHROMOSOME 5, a touching documentary for TVE. The film was very well received in Spain and around the world, garnering many awards.

In 2014 she directed the drama TRACES OF SANDALWOOD, a film shot in Mumbai and Barcelona. The film won the GAUDI in 2014 for BEST FILM and the Audience Award at the Montreal and Cinequest Festivals.

In 2015 she directed “Ahora o Nunca” («Now or Never”), starring Dani Rovira and María Valverde. The movie was a huge success at the Spanish box office, and placed Maria as the highest grossing female director in Spanish history.

In 2016, her next film was “No Culpes Al Karma Por Lo Que Te Pasa Por Gilipollas” (“Don’t Blame Your Karma For Being An Idiot”), based on Laura Norton’s critically acclaimed novel, which was (alongside with “Ahora O Nunca”) selected for the Miami International Film Festival.

In 2019, Maria published her first novel, along with Elisenda Roca: “Two Naked Women”. It was edited by Suma, and though the story is mainly fiction, it’s slightly inspired by real events from the lives of both of the authors.

The same year, she shot “Vivir dos Veces” (“Live Twice, Love Once”), starring Oscar Martínez and Inma Cuesta. The movie won six prizes at the Valencian Academy Awards. The touching movie about love and memory was added Netflix’s catalogue and was a hit with viewers.

In 2021, Maria presents her tenth feature: the colourful, larger-than-life comedy “Guerra de Likes” (“Likes War”), released on Amazon Prime. A Sony Pictures International production, it was shot entirely in Mexico City.

Regarding future projects, Maria is currently filming some of the chapters for the new born series “A Private Affair”, produced by “Bambú Productions” for Amazon Prime. She is also working on the pre-production of “Tequila Repasado” (“Tequila to the past”), featuring Omar Chaparro as the main lead and produced by Sony Pictures International.

film

AWARDS

Here a short summary of the most relevant paragraph in your biography

complete

Filmography

2021- feature

Guerra de likes

2021- feature

guerra de likes

ORIGINAL TITLE
Guerra De Likes

CAST
Regina Blandón, Ludwika Paleta, José Sefami

AWARDS
coming soon 

2019- feature

Live Twice, Love Once

2019- feature

Live Twice, Love Once

ORIGINAL TITLE
Vivir Dos Veces

CAST
Oscar Martínez, Inma Cuesta, Mafalda Carbonell

AWARDS
Premios del Audiovisual Valenciano 2020: Best Original Score, Best Supporting Actress, Best Costume Design, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Fiction Feature. Premios Forqué : Premio al Cine y Educación en valores

2016 - feature

Don't Blame your Karma

2016 - feature

Don't Blame your Karma

ORIGINAL TITLE
No Culpes Al Karma De Lo Que Te Pasa Por Gilipollas

CAST
Verónica Echegui, Alex García, Alba Galocha, David Verdaguer, Jordi Sanchez, Elvira Minguez

AWARDS
Nominee best film Miami film festival, Best Costume design, Goya Awards.  Official Selection – Miami International Film Festival (HBO Ibero American Competition category)

2015 - feature

IT's NOW OR NEVER

2015 - feature

IT's NOW OR NEVER

ORIGINAL TITLE
Ahora o Nunca

CAST
Dani Rovira, María Valverde, Jordi Sánchez, Clara Lago

FESTIVALS
Toronto Film Festival Canada, Miami Film Festival USA, Montreal Film Festival, Canada. Neox Fan Awards 2015 – Finalista en la categoría «La Peli del Año»

2014 - feature

Traces of Sandalwood

2014 - feature

Traces of Sandalwood

ORIGINAL TITLE
Rastres de Sàndal

CAST
Nandita Das, Aina Clotet, Vaibhavi Hankare

AWARDS
Toronto Film Festival Canada, Miami Film Festival USA, Montreal Film Festival, Canada

Best Film Gaudi Awards, Best Film Audience Award, Montreal Film Festival, Nominee for Best Soundtrack & Screenplay, Goya Awards

2013 - documentary

Chromosome 5

2013 - documentary

Chromosome 5

ORIGINAL TITLE
Cromosoma Cinco

CAST
Raül Tortosa (doctor’s voice)

AWARDS & FESTIVALS
Selected for Marfici Festival, Argentina & Malaga Film Festival, Spain. Winner Best Film in Bosifest Belgrade.

2009 - documentary series

50 years of fame

2009 - documentary series

50 years of fame

ORIGINAL TITLE
Fama, Todo Por Un Sueño

TV DOCUMENTARY SERIES
1 Episode, 2009 para TV1

CAST
Carmen Balagué, Carme Elias, Joan Pera

 

2006 - feature

Your life in 65 Minutes

2006 - feature

Your life in 65 Minutes

ORIGINAL TITLE
Tu Vida En 65 Minutos

CAST
Javier Pereira, Tamara Arias, Marc Rodriguez, Oriol Vila, Nuria Gago, Irene Montala

AWARDS
Best Screenplay, Barcelona Film Awards, Nominee for Best Director & Best Score, Nominee best Catalan film, Butaca Awards

2003 - feature

Utopía

2003 - feature

Utopía

ORIGINAL TITLE
Utopía

CAST
Leonardo Sbaraglia, Najwa Nimri, Tchéky Karyo

MUSIC
Najwa Nimri

2002 - documentary

Witness

2002 - documentary

Witness

ORIGINAL TITLE
Witness

TV DOCUMENTARY
Shot in New York for Canal +

 

2001 - feature

Tortilla Soup

2001 - feature

Tortilla Soup

ORIGINAL TITLE
Tortilla Soup

CAST
Elizabeth Pena, Hector Elizondo, Jacqueline Orbradors,
Tamara Mello, Raquel Welch

Awards& Festivals
Winner ALMA Award, Nominee Outstanding Motion Picture, Outstanding Director & Actor/ Actress. Winner Best Theatrical Feature Film Imagen Award

1999 - feature

Twice upon a yesterday

1999 - feature

Twice upon a yesterday

ORIGINAL TITLE
Lluvia En Los Zapatos

ALTERNATIVE TITLE
The Man with Rain in His Shoes

CAST
Lena Headey, Douglas Henshall, Penélope Cruz

FESTIVALS & AWARDS
Nominee for Best New Director Goya, Best Film Sitges Film Festival, Audience Award – Film Festival Seatle, Best Screenplay – Montreal Film Festival, Nominee Best Film – Bogotá Film Festival