Rafael Martinez Calle

Born in Córdoba (Spain) in 1997, Rafael graduated in Audiovisual Communication from the University of Málaga before moving to Madrid to pursue the International Master’s in Digital Film Directing at EFTI. After completing his studies, he developed two fiction short films as director and screenwriter.

The first, Crudo (2022), was screened in over 20 countries, earning 30 international selections and winning the Silver Biznaga for Best Direction at the Málaga Film Festival. This marked his first in-depth exploration of the themes central to his work: sexual awakening, family, and Andalusian identity. He followed this with Velar (2022), a short family fiction piece with documentary elements, which opened the door to a more collective and accessible filmmaking approach.

Rafael combines his work as a writer and director with editing across fiction, advertising, and documentary projects. Since 2022, he has worked as an editor on Esta Ambición Desmedida, a documentary produced by Little Spain, set to premiere at the upcoming San Sebastián Film Festival.

He is currently developing his first fiction feature film, set in early 2010s Córdoba, where he returns to familiar themes such as religion, its influence on family, and life in central Andalusia.

Read about Rafael’s residency project below…

Returning for his second residency after his stay with us in November 2023, he plans to film a photochemical piece on 16 mm, capture analog photographs, and dedicate time to writing a fiction project.