Borau is second film scholar to enter RAE
On Sunday, November 16, director José Luis Borau gave a speech to mark his admission to the RAE (Spanish Royal Academy), the highest body for the protection and modernisation of the Spanish language. The 80-year-old Borau – who has spent much of his life working in film – will be the second film scholar to be admitted, after Fernando Fernán-Gómez.
In his speech, Borau emphasised the important influence that film has had throughout its 100-year history on spoken and written Spanish. His speech – to which Mario Vargas Llosa will give a response – marks Borau’s official admission to the RAE, where he will occupy seat B, even though the decision was made in March. As a major film theorist and expert, his main task will be to modernise language in this field.
Born in Zaragoza, Borau made his debut in the film world at a young age, and has worked as a screenwriter, actor, director, teacher, producer and distributor. His most outstanding films include Poachers (1975), which won the Golden Conch at the San Sebastian Film Festival, On the Line (1984), Dear Nanny (1986) and Leo (2000), which earned him the Goya for Best Director.
From 1994-1998, Borau was president of the Film Academy (the institution that presents the annual Goya Awards) and for the past year has headed the SGAE (General Society of Authors and Editors). As a writer, he has published several books and collections of stories.
(Translated from Spanish)
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