Escape marks Rodrigo Cortés’ return to Spanish cinema, with none other than Martin Scorsese—one of the most influential filmmakers in Cortés’ career—on board as executive producer.
Rodrigo Cortés, one of the most prominent and daring Spanish directors of the moment, comes to this year’s TIFF with three intense and thought-provoking films: The Contestant (2007), Buried (2010), and Escape (2024). His films have been nominated for and won Goya Awards in various categories and have been featured at numerous film festivals around the world.
Cortés has worked with internationally acclaimed actors such as Ryan Reynolds (in the claustrophobic thriller Buried), as well as Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver, and Cillian Murphy in the 2012 psychological thriller Red Lights. His directing career began in his teenage years, when he produced his first 8mm short film at the age of 16, later debuting with the short Yul (1998), which he wrote, directed, produced, and edited.
His feature film debut, the dark comedy The Contestant, stands out both for Leonardo Sbaraglia’s impeccable performance and for its almost Kafkaesque premise: an economics professor wins the grand prize on a TV game show only to find out that, due to taxes, his debts now exceed his winnings. Satire isn’t the only genre Cortés navigates—Buried builds on a seemingly simple premise: an American truck driver in Iraq is captured and buried alive. The film delivers palpable tension, a suffocating atmosphere, and masterfully sustained suspense, anchored entirely by the lead actor’s performance.
Cortés’ latest film, Escape, plunges the audience even deeper into the troubled psyche of a man in crisis: the protagonist commits crimes in order to be imprisoned, convinced that physical isolation might offer a new kind of freedom. This paradox lies at the heart of the film’s theme.
Rodrigo Cortés is not just a director, but a multi-talented artist who often composes the scores for his own films. He blends cinematic genres while exploring both social and psychological themes. His authentic dialogue and powerful performances help maintain a meticulously calibrated tension. With a distinctly auteur vision typical of European cinema—combined with the structure and appeal of more mainstream narratives—Cortés' versatility satisfies a broad range of audiences. He knows how to stir emotions, build suspense, make us laugh, and provoke philosophical reflection. You don’t leave his films indifferent.
Rodrigo Cortés' films are presented with the support of the Embassy of Spain in Romania – Acción Cultural Española.
Buried
Tuesday, June 17, 6:30 PM / Cercul Militar
The Contestant
Monday, June 16, 4:45 PM / Sapientia University
Escape
Monday, June 16, 9:00 PM / Casa de Cultură a Studenților
Sunday, June 22, 8:45 PM / Cercul Militar