Биография
Film producer and entertainment entrepreneur
He studied Filmmaking and visual arts in the university of arts and entertainment of Madrid TAI. He has a masters degree on business in the entertainment industries.
"I started working in Film 20 years ago, I believed then and I still believe now that content creation and curation are both the present and the future, in the past 10 years we been living a renaissance in media and entertainment. In Latin America I have had the privilege to be part of a pioneer generation, together we have contributed to the creation and evolution of a content industry in the region."
In 2018 he was awarded with an Honorary Doctorate from the American Cultural Institute for his contribution to culture in Latin America.
He has produced and collaborated with the production of more than 60 titles as producer and executive producer.
Between 2006 and 2010 he produced and collaborated as an executive producer in 4 films, "Under the same Moon" premier at Sundance 2007 and established a record in sales that year, "Tequila: Story of a passion", released by Universal Pictures, "Prelude" and "Havanyork".
In 2010, along with prominent and prolific entrepreneur Alex Garcia, co-founded Itaca Films in Mexico, one of the lead production companies in Latin America. And was instrumental in the creation and management of the prestigious group AG Studios from 2010 to 2017. Developing several lines of business including Itaca Digital, a company devoted to the creation of new platforms and digital content.
Between 2010 and 2015, Itaca Films besides opening offices in Brazil, Colombia and the US has produced, between the 4 countries, more than 80 films and Tv titles, from which Santiago has been directly involved in the production. Among them, "The Snitch Cartel", a box office hit in Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. Three films from director Alfonso Pineda Ulloa: "Diminished", "Demon inside" and "The Jesuit", this last one written by the awarded screenwriter Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver y Raging Bull).
"Sugar Kisses" by Carlos Cuarón, Guillermo Arriaga's "God's Blood", fragment for the coral project "Words With Gods". Manolo Caro's first three films, "I don't know whether to slit my wrists or leave them long, "Love of my Life" and "Elvira, I'd give you my life but I'm using it". In co-production with Los Güeros Films he produced "Grandma's Birthday" and "What we could've been". Also, "Captive" a film by Jerry Jameson starred by Kate Mara y David Oyelowo, film that was acquired worldwide by Paramount Pictures. "Flying Low" by Beto Gómez, "Medeas" directed Andrea Pallaoro, awarded in the 2014 Venice Film Festival and 12 other festivals. Among the most significant titles are, "Crow's Nest", from Arturo Menéndez, first feature film produced in El Salvador since 1969 and the first Mexico-Cuba coproduction in the last decade: "Fatima y el parque de la fraternidad", directed by Jorge Perrugorría and written by Miguel Barnet.
He produced the directorial debut from academy award nominee Demián Bichir: "Un Cuento de Circo & a Love Song", filmed in México and Nueva Orleans. "Bound to Vengeance", second feature film from José Manuel Cravioto that had its international premiere in Sundance 2015, "Charity", Marcelino Islas's second film, "Meadowland" first film from Reed Morano, starred by Olivia Wilde and Luke Wilson, "Semana Santa" premiered in Toronto in 2015.
Santiago worked as an executive producer for Jonas Cuaron's second feature "Desierto", that was awarded with the prestigious FIPRESCI award in the 2015 Toronto International Film Festivaln Luminus Award from Canacine. Distributed by STX in the U.S. Also produced the comedy "Hypnotized filmed in Nueva Orleans premiered in Arte Careyes in 2019
He has continued his work in Cuba producing a feature documentary "Jardines de la reina" also directed by Perugorria, and Arturo Soto's latest film Nido de Mantis that premiered in Havana film festival in 2018. He was a coproducer for the independent films Asfixia, EL deseo de Ana and Feral all 3 awarded several prices in festivals In 2019.
In 2019 Santiago Co-Founded "Feel Good Films" along with Fernando Perez Gavilan and in 2020 produced "Guerra de Likes", "25KMH" "Tequila Repasado" for Sony pictures international productions.
With Itaca in 2020 coproduced "Blackout" and Nick Cassavete's "God is a Bullet" with Patriot pictures.
As a TV producer, he has produced 1st season (12 episodes) of "Dios Inc" fiction series for HBO Latin America. 1st season (9 episodes) of Crónica de Castas Tv. Series commissioned by Canal 11 in Mexico. And actively collaborates with the Netflix show Cheff's Table in Latin America in several seasons including producing the episode for Enrique Olvera.
Santiago has worked for international productions as Itaca Films's production executive on "Fast and furious 8" and Transformers 5" in Havana, Cuba. Contributing to accomplish a historical cultural collaboration between the US and Cuba. Receiving an award in Gibara Film Festival for the cultural contribution to Cuban cinema.
He has been an entrepreneur on the entertainment industry from music to films, television, events and also new concepts of hosting in companies like Deco Housing, a company devoted to provide unique experiences for travelers looking for art content in Mexico City.
The opening of a gran venue for art projects Rio 54 on the emblematic Plaza Rio de Janeiro in colonia Roma. Out of his passion for food and arts he has been a patron of the arts for several emerging artists, he has open Restaurants and endorsed the image of different cheffs like Joaquin Cardoso and Sofia Cortina. He has collaborated in the curation of content for several cultural events like Arte Careyes.
He is developing a methodology strategy called "production thinking", and he uses it in all of his projects. In 2017 he was recognized as one of the 50 most creative Mexicans by Forbes Magazine.
In 2015 He spoke in Ted X Havana about his idea of the best way that Latin Americans can project an image that can generate progress. For the past 5 years has been actively developing different platforms and ideas to curate content on a larger scale, to help users find the right content for them on different moments, to improve the image of Latin America and change the perception putting the attention on what matters most.
"The trip is more important than the destination"
