Carlos Atanes
Directing
- Born
- November 8, 1971 (age 54) · Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Carlos Atanes (Barcelona, 1971) is a Spanish filmmaker, writer and playwright whose work occupies a singular place in European underground cinema. Since the late 1980s, he has built a distinctive artistic universe that combines science fiction, fantasy, surrealism and philosophical inquiry, becoming one of the most recognisable cult auteurs of contemporary Spanish cinema.
Among his most acclaimed works are the dystopian science-fiction films "FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions" and "Proxima", as well as the surreal and deeply underground "Maximum Shame" and "Gallino, the Chicken System", which established him as one of the most uncompromising voices in contemporary European cult cinema. His films have often provoked strongly divided reactions, being celebrated by admirers for their originality and audacity while dismissed by detractors as deliberately provocative and inaccessible.
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Works such as "The Metamorphosis of Franz Kafka" and "Perdurabo (Where is Aleister Crowley?)" reveal his enduring interest in literature and esotericism, while "Báthory" (2026) sees him moving further into experimental cinema through a more abstract and formally daring approach. Throughout his career, Atanes has remained fiercely independent, building a body of work distinguished by its originality, intellectual ambition and complete artistic freedom.
Known for
Behind the camera24
- 2026Báthory Director, Editor, Cinematography, Music, Producer
- 2025Autofocus Director, Writer
- 2024Alter Ego Film Project Editor, Music, Cinematography, Director, Writer, Executive Producer, Casting, Production Design, Producer
- 2023Scrying Session #1 Executive Producer
- 2023Les Fées Vertes Executive Producer
- 2023Anna’s Film Executive Producer
- 2018Romance bizarro Director, Writer, Editor
- 2013Necrofilia fina Producer, Writer, Director
- 2012Gallino, the Chicken System Writer, Visual Effects, Director, Editor
