Carlos Ruiz is a Mexican director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the film industry, both in Mexico and internationally. He has directed some of the most popular films in Mexican cinema, including “Y Tu Mama Tambien,” “Babel,” and “Instructions Not Included.” Ruiz is a masterful storyteller, and his work focuses on themes of identity, family, and cultural displacement.
Ruiz was born in Mexico City in 1965. As a child, he was fascinated by cinema and spent much of his free time watching classic Mexican films. He attended the Escuela de Cine de la UNAM, the National Autonomous University of Mexico's film school. After graduating in 1990, he worked as an assistant director on several projects, including the feature film, “The Last Supper.”
In 1995, Ruiz wrote and directed his first feature film, “Dance of the Wind.” The film, which was praised by critics, won the prestigious Ariel Award for Best Picture. This success led to Ruiz being selected to direct the Spanish-language version of “Romeo + Juliet,” which was released in 1996.
Ruiz’s breakthrough came in 2001 with the release of “Y Tu Mama Tambien.” The film, which starred Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, was a critical and commercial success. It won numerous awards, including the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.
In 2006, Ruiz directed “Babel,” which starred Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. He followed this up with “Rudo y Cursi,” a comedy starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, in 2008.
In 2013, Ruiz released “Instructions Not Included,” a dark comedy about a struggling actor who discovers he has a daughter. The film was a huge success and became the highest-grossing Spanish-language film of all time.
Ruiz continues to make films that explore identity and cultural displacement. He has said that his goal is to create films that “are not only entertaining, but that also reflect the complexity of our lives.”
Carlos Ruiz is a masterful story