During her speech, Funes emphasized cinema's capacity to broaden our perspective, connect us with different life experiences, and foster a deeper understanding of the complex world around us. The director also touched upon aspects of her creative process, highlighting observation and critical thinking as essential qualities for any filmmaker.
Paraphrasing Pier Paolo Pasolini, she advocated for reality as an inexhaustible source of knowledge and beauty, underscoring political commitment, a critical view of the present, and attention to everyday life as fundamental values in cinematic creation.
Educated at ESCAC and the International School of Cinema and Television in San Antonio de los Baños (Cuba), Belén Funes began her career as an assistant director and script supervisor on numerous productions. Concurrently, she developed her own authorial career with internationally recognized short films, such as Sara a la fuga and La inútil, co-written with her regular collaborator, Marçal Cebrián.
Her feature film debut was La hija de un ladrón, presented at the San Sebastián Film Festival and awarded the Goya Award for Best New Director, along with three Gaudí Awards. With her second film, Los Tortuga, also co-written with Cebrián, she solidified a career marked by a unique vision and a deep commitment to contemporary social realities.
Throughout the event, Belén Funes offered particularly inspiring words to the students, encouraging them to fully enjoy their university years, an experience she described as unique, enriching, and fleeting.
The session concluded with a Q&A session where Funes responded closely and generously to students' questions, sharing insights into the filmmaking craft, creative processes, and professional challenges.
