Biographie
Raúl García is recognized as one of Puerto Rico's most promising directors, known for his innovative visual style. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 31, 1975, García's passion for cinema began in childhood. In 1995, while pursuing his bachelor's degree at Universidad Del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, he started working on his first TV movie, 'Impacto Mortal.' Created in video format with students and no budget, the film caught the attention of one of the main television channels at the time, channel 11 TeleOnce. 'Impacto Mortal' premiered on television in 1998, receiving positive reviews and securing second place in ratings that night.
In 1999, García earned his bachelor's degree in Television and Film Production. Following graduation, he produced his second TV film, the action and espionage drama 'Complot.' Premiering on September 27, 1999, it broke audience records, ranking first in viewer preference for its premiere night and month. 'Complot' is regarded as one of the most ambitious Puerto Rican TV films in terms of production and special effects.
In 2000, García directed 'The 7th Angel,' his third feature film and first horror movie. It premiered on October 30, 2000, and once again topped the island's audience ratings. The film was selected to participate in the 2001 New York International Film and Video Festival. That same year, García co-wrote and directed the short film 'Premonition,' which won First Prize at the 2001 E-Cinevideo Short Film Festival, sponsored by Artisan Entertainment, the company that acquired the rights to 'The Blair Witch Project.'
García continued making short films such as 'Premonition,' which won at the 2001 Internet Short Film Festival in San Juan, and 'Signaling Home,' which was selected for the 2001 Belize Film Festival. In 2008, he began production on his next feature film, 'Caos,' a guerrilla-style project that wrapped three years later. Made on a very small budget, 'Caos' premiered on the big screen on September 30, 2010, screening in 12 theaters across Puerto Rico and on Univisión Puerto Rico television. That same year, García directed the short film 'Pasión Cibernética' for Acuarela Productions.
In 2014, García produced and directed his first comedy feature, 'Una Boda en Castañer.' The film premiered on September 3, 2015, becoming one of the most successful Puerto Rican films in local cinema history, grossing over half a million dollars. It was selected for the 32nd Latino Film Festival in Chicago, and Cinelatino Network acquired its television rights.
In 2016, García produced and directed the comedy feature 'Pepo Pa'l Senado' under Piñolywood Studios. The film was another box office success and screened in Orlando, Tampa, Sanford, Kissimmee, and New York. It was selected for the Chicago Latino Film Festival 2017, San Diego Latino Film Festival 2017, and St. Kitts Film Festival 2018.
In 2019, García directed his seventh feature film, 'Another Kind of I Do,' a sequel to the hit 'A Wedding in Castañer.' It was released in Puerto Rican cinemas in August and again succeeded at the box office. That same year, García was one of the directors for the TV series 'SUBETE A MI MOTO' for Amazon Prime Studios, which chronicles the career of Menudo, one of the most popular Latin boy bands in history. The series was filmed in Mexico and Puerto Rico and is available on Amazon Prime.
In December 2021, García directed a film about the lives of Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz titled 'Los Reyes de la Salsa,' which premiered in theaters at the end of 2022. His upcoming project is the teen TV series 'Ginayei,' set to debut on Disney Plus in fall 2022.
