Clemente de la Cerda

Clemente Felipe de La Cerda Martin (13 October 1935 – 13 December 1984) was a Venezuelan film director and screenwriter. He is best known for directing Soy un delincuente (1976), one of the highest-grossing films in Venezuelan cinema history. His work is noted for its critical depiction of social problems and the living conditions of underprivileged communities in Venezuela.

Early Life and Education

Clemente de la Cerda was born in Chichiriviche, Falcón State, Venezuela. He studied at the School of Fine Arts in Caracas. Between 1962 and 1963, he attended the Venezuelan Institute of Film Studies, then directed by actor Luis Salazar. He also studied theater under Humberto Orsini at the Central University of Venezuela for eight months. He began his media career at Televisa (later Channel 4) as an assistant cameraman, eventually directing music programs and soap operas. After the advent of videotape recording (VTR) technology, he left television movies and worked in news and advertising as a cameraman and later as a director.

Career

De la Cerda began his film directing career with Isla de sal (1964) and El rostro oculto (1965). He self-financed the feature Sin Fin (1971), which is now considered lost, and worked on the unfinished La Carga (1972) with Mauricio Odremán. His documentary short Cahuramanacas (1973) won a local award.

His breakthrough came with Soy un delincuente (1976), which outperformed Steven Spielberg's Jaws at the Venezuelan box office. The film challenged Venezuelan cinematic traditions by questioning material conditions and psychological assumptions of society, establishing de la Cerda as a leading director. He followed with Reincidente (1977), the first sequel in Venezuelan national cinema.

In 1979, he released El Crimen del Penalista, filmed in the Dominican Republic to avoid issues with national authorities, based on the murder of lawyer Ramón Carmona Vásquez. That same year, Compañero de viaje, based on a book by Orlando Araujo, was entered into the 11th Moscow International Film Festival. He also directed the 1980 telenovela Elizabeth.

His later films Los Criminales (1982) and Retén de Catia (1984) offered strong critiques of Venezuelan society and politics. Both were box-office hits but drew criticism from media, intellectuals, and upper-class society for depicting aspects of the country that were not widely acknowledged. His final film, the comedy Agua que no has de Beber (1984), continued his themes of national corruption and wit. He died the day after its release.

Death and Legacy

Clemente de la Cerda died on 13 December 1984 in Caracas at age 49. In 1985, the National Council published a book titled Clemente de la Cerda: textos, filmografía, ilustraciones, providing an exhaustive study of his cinematographic work. His films are remembered for their social commentary and focus on the lives of ordinary Venezuelans.

Selected Filmography