Juan Antonio Bardem

Juan Antonio Bardem Muñoz (2 June 1922 – 30 October 2002) was a Spanish film director and screenwriter, born in Madrid. Bardem was best known for Muerte de un ciclista (1955) which won the FIPRESCI Prize at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival, and El puente (1977) which won the Golden Prize at the 10th Moscow International Film Festival. His 1979 film Seven Days in January won the Golden Prize at the 11th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1953, he and Luis García Berlanga founded a film magazine, Objetivo, which existed until 1956. He was a member of the Communist Party. During the Franco dictatorship, Bardem was imprisoned by the Spanish State due to the anti-fascist nature of his films. In 1981, he was a member of the jury at the 12th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1993, he was a member of the jury at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival. Bardem was the father of director Miguel Bardem and uncle of actor Javier Bardem. Bardem died in Madrid in 2002, at age 80.