The Spanish Academy of Cinematography confirmed this Saturday the passing of Josefina Molina, a pivotal figure in Spanish film history. Born in Cordoba in 1936, Molina was one of the few women of her generation to pursue a career in film direction, consistently striving to make cinema a space for female representation.
From a young age, she showed a strong vocation for the seventh art, influenced by films like Jean Renoir's The River. Her early endeavors included founding a theater company and collaborating on radio programs with segments dedicated to women and cinema. She later enrolled in the Official Film School (EOC), where her short films already featured female protagonists who defied the era's stereotypes, graduating in 1969 as the institution's first female director.
Her career also flourished in television, directing notable adaptations such as Miguel Delibes's The Road and Teresa of Ávila, the latter praised for its human and feminist portrayal of the saint. In cinema, she debuted with Vera (1973), a psychological horror tale, and went on to direct films like La tilita (part of Erotic Tales), Esquilache, which received 12 Goya nominations, and La Lola se va a los puertos.
A highlight of her filmography was Función de noche (1981), an innovative feature film blending fiction and documentary, where actors Lola Herrera and Daniel Dicenta candidly discussed the failure of their marriage and the constraints of patriarchal norms. Herrera emphasized the importance of women expressing their feelings, a theme Molina consistently explored in her work.
“"In my films, there is always a female character who fights against oppression"
Molina co-founded the Association of Female Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media (CIMA) in 2006 to pave the way for future female directors. In 2012, she was honored with the Goya of Honor, becoming the first female director to receive this award. She was also recognized with the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts and the National Cinematography Award, and was the first female director of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando.
Her legacy lies in her courage to tell stories from a female perspective and her advocacy for the female gaze in filmmaking. The ongoing fight for equality in cinema, championed by filmmakers like Josefina Molina, continues to be a significant reference.
The wake will be held at the Boadilla del Monte Funeral Home starting at 4:00 PM.
