Biography
David Casals-Roma was born in Lleida (Spain) on October 13th 1972. He was the third boy in a family of five, son of an aviculture specialist and a housewife.
When he was young, his dad bought a Super 8 projector and the family spent every other weekend watching films in the living room. Even though he was too young to decide a career, he remembers those family moments as the most exciting of his childhood.
Once he finished high school he started to write short stories and scripts, combining his writing skills with a long list of different jobs. He worked in a chicken farm, selling books, gluing posters for political campaigns, fruit picking, delivering post and bar tendering. He also worked as an Administrative Assistant in a solicitor’s office and it was then when he decided to study Law. However, he realised that Law wasn’t the right thing for him and decided to abandon his studies three years later.
In 1996 he met Merce, his sentimental partner to date, and they both decided to quit their jobs and their hometown, and travel around Europe.
He moved to Amsterdam in 1997, where he survived working in the IT business while learning the ins and outs of film production.
Two years later he moved to Brussels where he had his first experience as a film director, making two short films that were funded by JP Morgan/Euroclear Bank. His first works were extremely low budget. He directed, wrote, produced, photographed and edited his own short films. So much work was later on rewarded with an award in a Spanish film festival, which encouraged him to think about a serious career in the film business.
In 2001 he moved to the United Kingdom to study film production at the London Academy of Media, Film & TV. He also enrolled some screenwriting, directing and producing courses in Spain, Britain, Italy and the United States, and was selected among other 14 European filmmakers to participate in a directing workshop in Potenza (Italy) with Iranian master and Cannes Palm d'Or winner Abbas Kiarostmi.
David studied a BA in Film and Media at the Birkbeck University of London and graduated with Honours in 2006. He currently teaches screenwriting techniques at different European schools, and has set up Recreate Productions, a London-based production company focused on producing commercially viable and artistically rich feature films. His brother Antoni is his partner in this new and exciting adventure.
David’s films have won different awards in Europe, Asia and America.
He is now working on The Londoner a feature film that he expects to direct as soon as finance is in place. Besides this project and the writing of scripts, he is also working on the production of a short film that will be directed by Italian director Sergio Cannella.
As well as writing and directing films, David has written two books, published some short stories and collaborated as a script reader for other projects. He speaks fluent Spanish, Catalan, English, French and Italian, and he strongly believes in Periandros' quote that “Everything can be achieved with practice”.
News ::.
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31/05/2009
David goes to Marseille, in the South of France, to run his screenwriting course during the Etangs d’Arts Film Festival.
19/05/2009
For the first time, David has partnered with his brother Antoni to develop a new television series for a Spanish TV channel.
08/04/2009
Italian director Sergio Cannella is becoming a new member of Recreate Productions, David’s film production company.
02/03/2009
David and Marcella Aguessy are working together on the development of the characters in “Violeta”, the new short film that David expects to direct at the end of the year.
13/02/2009
David is a member of the jury at the Cabestany Short Film Festival in Perpignan (France) that will take place this weekend.
26/01/2009
The new year starts with many projects for David, mainly the production of his first feature film, the development of another script and the co-production of a short film with Italian director Sergio Cannella.
31/12/2008
The last award of the year comes from Spain. The Res Non Verba Short Film Festival has given the Best Short Film Award to Save the World. Two years ago Djamel’s Eyes, David’s previous short film, was awarded with a Special Mention.
16/12/2008
David has participated as member of the jury at the Film Festival del Garda and as president of the jury at the Cortiamo Film Festival both in Italy.
15/11/2008
Another award coming from Italy. Save the World won the Best Short Film Award at the Artemista Short Film Festival in Putigniano.
10/11/2008
Italian and French festivals award Save the World one more time. The C.V.A. Film Festival of les Pennes-Mirabeau in France gives it the Special Jury Award and the Filmlab Short Film Festival of Brescia in Italy the Best Foreign Short Film Award.
28/10/2008
Save the World won the award for Best Short Film at the Som Cinema Film Festival of Mollerussa (Spain). The very same weekend, another award came from the other side of the pond: Best Director at the Director’s Chair Film Festival of New York (U.S.A.).
17/09/2008
Save the World receives six awards in less than a fortnight. Best Short Film, Best Director and Best Script at the Corti Senza Limiti Film Festival in Frigento, Italy. The other three awards came from the International Film Festival of Bueu in Spain: Best Short Film, Best Director and Best Editing.
18/08/2008
The Ephizephiry Short Film Festival in Sant’Ilario dello Junio (Italy) has awarded Save the World with the Best Script Award. Another festival in Argentina, the Independent Film Festival Escobar de Película, has awarded the film with the Best International Short Film prize.
06/07/2008
Another “hat trick” for Save the World: Best Short Film, Best Director and “La Città della Utoppia” Award at the Festival Cinema Libero in Rome, Italy. Another festival in Italy, the Cortoacquario Film Festival in Santa Marinella, awards Djamel's Eyes with the Special Jury Mention.
23/06/2008
Two more awards, but this time for another short film: Djamel's Eyes. Both awards come from Italy: Best Short Film (section “The Sea”) at the Tropea Film Festival and Second Award at the Brescello Film Festival.
11/06/2008
Save the World is almost at the end of the festival circuit. However, more awards keep coming. This time it was the European Sogni Award at the Corti da Sogni Antonio Ricci Film Festival in Ravenna, Italy, and the Best Script Award at the Alto Vicentino Film Festival in Santorso, Italy.
01/06/2008
More awards for Save the World coming from Italy: Best Short Film and Best Actor at the Corto Circuito Film Festival in Livorno and Third Award at the Kimera Film Festival in Termoli.
18/05/2008
First award for Save the World in Colombia: Honorific Mention at the Cine a la Calle Film Festival in Barranquilla. The Cuveglio Film Festival in Italy also awards the film with the Best Director Award.
05/05/2008
May starts with more awards for Save the World. Special Mention at the Festival Etangs d’Arts in Marseille, France, Best Short Film and Audience Award at the Fic-Cat Festival in Roda de Berà, Spain, and Best Foreign Short Film at the Corto in Stabia Film Festival in Castellammare, Italy.
07/04/2008
Second hat trick for Save the World in the film festival circuit. It was in Italy at the Solofra Film Festival: Audience Award, Best Script and Best Actor.
26/03/2008
The American continent also recognises Save the World with the Best Short Film Award at the Long Island University Film Festival of New York. Also in Europe there were two Festivals that awarded the short film: the Jury Award at the Orléans Video Festival in France and the New Visions Award at the 35mm Film Festival of Bitonto in Italy.
28/02/2008
One more time, Italy recognises Save the World with two more awards. The first one in Naples at the ‘O Curt Short Film Festival with the Students Award and the second one in Torino at the Corto in Volta Film Festival with the Best Short Film Award.
30/01/2008
For the first time Save the World gets three awards in just one festival. It was at the Cercola Film Festival in Naples, Italy: Best Photography, Best Editing and the Students Award.
14/01/2008
First two awards of the year for Save the World: Best Short Film at the International Festival of Digital Cinema Viña del Mar (Chile), and Special Audience Mention at the Festival Pontino del Cortometraggio (Italy).
19/12/2007
Five more awards for Save the World in just three weeks: Best Short Film at the Vila de Noia Short Film Festival (Spain), Special Jury Mention at the Film Festival del Garda (Italy), Special Jury Mention at the Short Film Festival Ca Revolta (Spain), Winner of the Young Directors Forum at the Méribel Advertising Festival (France), and Best Short Film at the Cortiamo Film Festival of Sicily (Italy).
26/11/2007
A hectic but intense weekend in Spain. David personally receives the award for Best Short Film at the Soria-Castilla y León Short Film Festival and also the Best Short Film at the Enkarzine Film Festival of Zalla, Bilbao.
10/11/2007
The first award David receives in South America doesn’t come alone: Best Short Film and Best Director at the Lucas Demare Film Festival of Olavarría, in Argentina.
29/10/2007
Two more festivals recognise David’s Save the World. In Italy the Yasujiro Ozu Film Festival gives him the Best Short Film Award and the 24fps Short Film Festival in Abilene, Texas (U.S.A.) gives the Silver Medal Award and the Best Screenplay Award.
01/09/2007
The Villammare Film Festival awards Save the World with the Best Short Film Award. It's the fourth award in less than two weeks.
25/08/2007
David flies to Noci in lovely Puglia (Italy) to assist to the Noci Cinema Film Festival. He receives two more awards: the Critics Award and the Best Foreign Short Film Award.
19/08/2007
Save the World gets the Audience Award at the Anonimul Film Festival. David was there to receive the award.
12/08/2007
The Festival Anonimul in Romania takes place from the 13th to the 18th August. David will assist the festival by the Black Sea during those dates.
10/07/2007
David and Antoni keep working on the pre-production of The Londoner, while British screenwriter Matthew Gunn helps David to polish some details of the script. In the meantime, Save the World is getting selected in different festivals in Europe, Australia and the US.
23/06/2007
The very same day that David’s daughter is born, his short film Save the World wins its first awards at the Festival El Sector of Madrid, Spain: Best Short Film and Best Photography.
23/06/2007
David’s second daughter Nailah is born. She weights 3.850 Kgs. Both mother and daughter are fine after a 20-hour labour.
22/05/2007
David and his brother/partner Antoni go to Cannes to promote Save the World and introduce Recreate Productions to industry professionals.
16/05/2007
Save the World premieres at the Short Film Corner in Cannes. The film finally has its first audience. The film website is also launched: www.savetheworldthefilm.com.
14/05/2007
David and his brother Antoni launch Recreate Productions (www.recreateproductions.com), a London-based film production company.
02/05/2007
First casting for The Londoner takes place in London.
12/04/2007
The final cut of Save the World is ready. The short film is sent to Cannes to premiere at the Short Film Corner during the Festival.
14/03/2007
David signs a non-exclusive agreement with the Con-Can Movie Festival to distribute Djamel's Eyes.
09/03/2007
The offline of Save the World is over. We start with the music and sound design.
20/02/2007
Djamel's Eyes is sold to Canal Extremadura in Spain.
01/02/2007
Djamel's Eyes is broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom.
10/01/2007
David finishes his latest script The Londoner.
27/12/2006
Djamel's Eyes is awarded with the Special Mention Award at the Res Non Verba Film Festival of Lleida, Spain.
18/12/2006
The voice over for Save The World is recorded at Channel 4.
18/11/2006
First cut of Save The World. There is a lot of work to do...
04/11/2006
Graduation ceremony. David graduates at Birkbeck University of London. He has studied a BA in Film and Media.
19-22/10/2006
David flies to Los Angeles to assist to the Expo 5.
01/10/2006
After many production problems the shooting of Save The World ends.
29/09/2006
Stars the shooting of Save The World.
09/2006
David partners with Albert Ardiaca to build a website to promote his work.