DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY - Diego Gardo, Victor Candela

Diego Gardo and Víctor Candela, both 32-year-old Madrid natives, have built their careers in the audiovisual field, specialising in different areas of film production. Diego works as a director of photography, while Víctor has established himself as a video editor. Together, they have contributed to a wide range of projects, from fiction and advertising to documentaries and music videos. Their creative journey began in their teenage years in the Ciudad Lineal district, where they met and became part of Madrid’s underground graffiti and rap scene. Those years on the streets, shaped by artistic expression and life in the neighbourhood, sparked their interest in cinema as a tool for telling real stories and exploring themes of social class. However, their approach is not limited to a naturalistic aesthetic; instead, they seek to combine everyday themes with a more poetic narrative, incorporating dreamlike elements. Their interests extend beyond the audiovisual world. Víctor, for instance, studied Law before training as an editor and post-producer at the Instituto del Cine de Madrid, and he also worked for several years as a secondary school teacher on the French island of Mayotte. Diego, on the other hand, although focused on the film industry from an early age, enriches his creative vision through reading essays on politics and economics. In recent years, Diego and Víctor have solidified their careers abroad. For the past three years, they have shared a workspace in Berlin, a city that has influenced their artistic vision and allowed them to connect with new forms of audiovisual storytelling. It was there that they wrote Cinco, their debut short film as screenwriters and directors, in which they draw on their youth experiences to depict the reality of Madrid’s working-class neighbourhoods over the past decade. With this work, they aim to authentically capture the dynamics, conflicts, and emotions of those who grow up in these environments, blending their personal backgrounds with a cinematic style that is both intimate and evocative.Through their work, Diego Gardo and Víctor Candela continue to explore stories that, while rooted in local experiences, hold universal resonance—always with a social focus and a strong visual and emotional impact. Cinco marks the beginning of their journey as filmmakers and their commitment to a cinema that portrays life with honesty and depth.