José Luis Rodríguez-Venegas(1936-2018)
- Camera and Electrical Department
Since he was a child he liked the cinema. But to know it from within was still a very far away dream. He enjoyed collecting photographs, so he bought a camera to take photos of whatever could be curious or interesting for him.
In the year 1952, with only 15 years, he began his working life at the advertising agency "Mestre, Conill y Cía". In 1962, he began to work at ICAIC (Cuban Institute of the Cinematographic Art and Industry), taking his first steps as still-man in the Still-Photo Department.
Her first job in a feature film was in "En Días Como Estos" (On Days Like These) from director Jorge Fraga, a film of 1963.
The filmography of José Luis Rodríguez-Venegas amounts to more than 70 films, among which we can mention "Memorias del Subdesarrollo" (Memories of Underdevelopment), "Lucía", "Giselle", "El hombre De Maisinicú" (The Man From Maisinicu", "Cecilia", "La bella del Alhambra" (The Beauty of the Alhambra), "Adorables Mentiras" (Adorable Lies), and "Madagascar".
During the making of "Alsino and the Condor" in Nicaragua, he also worked as an instructor of those who were beginning their careers in the filmmaking business in that Central American country.
He took part playing small roles in films such as "Ustedes Tienen La Palabra" (You Have the Floor), "La Batalla Del Jigüe" (The Battle of Jigüe), "Guantanamera" and "Lista De Espera" (Waiting List).
Because of his good qualities with the projection of his voice, he was involved in several dubbings and voiceovers.
When he began to work in the Cuban film-making industry, he did it just for his love for art. During his thirty-seven years of work he never changed this way of and thinking and living.
In 1998, the same year of his retirement from active work, two film directors called him to play secondary roles in two relevant Cuban films. These were "Lista De Espera" (Waiting List) and "Hacerse El Sueco" (To Play the Swedish).
Although retired, he used to say that every night he dreamed of the cinema. About this he pointed out: "Something I always see in my dreams, is that I am working in an imaginary film".
The name of José Luis Rodríguez-Venegas Pardillo (the Cuban Tom Mix) will always be on the list of those who made possible the Cuban Cinema.