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AWARDS Spain

Erotic horror king Franco to receive Lifetime Achievement Goya

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The Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Goya will be awarded to the incomparable director Jesús Franco "for his extensive, rich and varied filmography, as well as his absolute dedication to the profession". The director – who was born in Madrid in 1930 – will receive his prize at the 23rd Goya Awards ceremony on February 1, 2009.

Considered the cursed director of Spanish film, Franco said he was “delighted. As I have never believed I deserved anything, this is a precious gift for me”. This is undoubtedly a belated recognition, like all those he has received, but it nonetheless does justice to a cult director whose speciality is erotic horror B films.

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Franco’s career has been prolific in every sense. He has worked as a director, producer, screenwriter, actor, editor and musician; and has directed over 200 films, including 10 in 1973. He has used various names (Jesús Franco, Jess Frank, Clifford Brown, James P. Johnson) depending on his role in the film’s production; has made films across Europe (including France, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Luxembourg and the former German Federal Republic); and has tried his hand at almost every genre (horror, comedy, drama, musical and even porn).

From his debut work We Are 18 Years Old (1959) and his first hit, The Demon Doctor (1962), Franco’s daring style led to problems with censorship under Franco’s regime. For this reason, from 1967 onwards, the director started working abroad, where he has often won greater acclaim than in Spain.

The director’s works include Queen of the Tabarin Club (1960), Rififí en la ciudad (“Robbery in the City”, 1963), Attack of the Robots (1965), The Blood of Fu Manchu (1968) and Killer Barbys (1996).

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(Translated from Spanish)

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