Antonio Mercero

Born 1936, Lasarte (Spain). He studied Law at the University of Valladolid and in 1959, he entered the Escuela Oficial de Cinematografía, where he made four short films: LA OVEJA NEGRA, PIS, LA MUERTA and TROTÍN TROTERAS. In 1962 he directed his first work as a professional, LECCIÓN DE ARTE and it won the Golden Seashell at the Festival of San Sebastián. He continued directing short films: LA BALADA DE LOS CUATRO JINETES, UNIVERSIDAD DE NAVARRA, UN PUEBLO EN APUROS, ADIOS AL PRICE. In 1970 he started working for TV directing documentaries, some chapters for the series CRÓNICAS DE UN PUEBLO (1971) and LA CABINA (1970) which won the Emmy Award. Then he made LOS PAJARITOS, DON JUAN (1974), LA GIOCONDA ESTÁ TRISTE (1975), the series ESE SEÑOR DE NEGRO (1975), LA GUERRA DE PAPÁ (1977, selected for the GFF), LA NOCHE DEL LICENCIADO (1978), VERANO AZUL (1978), FARMACIA DE GUARDIA (1990), and the film LA HORA DE LOS VALIENTES (1998). Today, he still works for TV. 4TH FLOOR is his latest work in cinema.

Director's statement

“I read the play ‘Los Pelones’, by Albert Espìnosa, based on personal experiences. I was touched by the content of the story but also by the way it was told: a different way to talk about cancer, through the experience of a group of adolescents. The story talks about love, humour, solidarity and grief with a new sensibility. I liked the mix between humour and emotions. I contacted Alberto and we began to write the screenplay”.