Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia (; born 17 February 1974) is a Spanish film and advertising director and producer. He made his feature-film debut with, The Platform (2019), a dystopian science fiction-horror film.

Early life and education

Gaztelu-Urrutia was born on 17 February 1974 in Bilbao. He completed a B.A. in business management with a specialization in international trade.

Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia

Career

He made a short film, 913 in 2003. He has directed commercials. In 2011, he made The House on the Lake. His feature film debut was in 2019 with the dystopian science fiction-horror film The Platform (its Spanish title is El hoyo, transl. The Hole). About the film, he said the point is "it isn’t about a war between those above and those below — we all have someone above us and someone below us".

Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia

In February 2023, Deadline announced his next film will be a thriller entitled "Rich Flu", starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jonah Hauer-King.

Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia

Influences and style

Gaztelu-Urrutia has named Dante's Divine Comedy as one of his literary influences for The Platform, as well as films such as Buñuel's The Exterminating Angel (1962), Jeunet's Delicatessen (1991), Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982) and Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976).

Filmography

Feature films

Short films

Awards

The Platform won the People's Choice Award for Midnight Madness at the Toronto Film Festival, and garnered four honours at the Sitges Film Festival: Best Film, Best New Director, Best Special Effects and the Audience Award.

References

1974 births

Living people

Spanish film directors

Spanish film producers

People from Bilbao

Film directors from the Basque Country (autonomous community)