Nelson Villagra (born 9 August 1937) is a Chilean actor, writer and director of stage and screen. He is recognised as one of the most masterful actors in Chilean cinema and is widely known in Chile for his exceptional portrayal of a
mentally retarded
''Mentally'' is a 2017 Nigerian film written, produced and directed by James Abinibi. The movie stars Kunle Idowu, Toyin Abraham, Woli Arole and Adekunle Gold
Synopsis
The movie revolves around a young man who went to Lagos, a place where ...
murderer in
Miguel LittÃn
Miguel Ernesto Littin Cucumides (born 9 August 1942) is a Chilean film director, screenwriter, film producer and novelist. He was born in Palmilla, Colchagua Valley. CHILE.
Career
Miguel Littin directed ''Jackal of Nahueltoro, El Chacal de Nahu ...
exile
Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...
d from Chile as a result of the
military coup
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
which led to the
Pinochet dictatorship
An authoritarian military dictatorship ruled Chile for seventeen years, between 11 September 1973 and 11 March 1990. The dictatorship was established after the democratically elected socialist government of Salvador Allende was overthrown ...
. After a time in Europe, he proceeded to
Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
Humberto Solás
Humberto Solás (4 December 1941 – 17 September 2008) was a Cuban film director, credited with directing the film '' LucÃa'' (1968), which explored the lives of Cuban women during different periods in Cuban history.
His cinematic style b ...
The Last Supper
Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, '' The Last Supper'' (1495-1498). Mural, tempera on gesso, pitch and mastic, 700 x 880 cm (22.9 x 28.8 ...
'' at the 1978
Biarritz Film Festival
The Biarritz Festival Latin America () is an international film festival held annually in the French city of Biarritz since 1979.
Awards
* HUG for Best Feature
* Jury Award for Best Feature
* Best Actress
* Best Actor
* Feature Film Audience ...
. In 1979, he played a military torturer in Sergio Castilla's film ''Prisioneros desaparecidos'', a role for which he won the Best Actor award at the San Sebastián Film Festival.
Early life and film career
Nelson Garrido Villagra was born in
Chillán
Chillán () is the capital List of cities in Chile, city of Ñuble Region, DiguillÃn Province, Chile, located about south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the center of the country. It has been the capital of the new Ñuble Region since ...
in
southern Chile
Southern Chile is an informal geographic term for any place south of the capital city, Santiago, or south of BiobÃo River, the mouth of which is Concepción, about {{convert, 200, mi, km, sigfig=1, order=flip south of Santiago. Generally citie ...
Santiago de Chile
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital city, capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's Chilean Central Valley, central valley and is the center ...
- Enrique Gajardo Velasquez. Both Mellado and Velasquez had a large influence on Villagra's theatrical and cultural training.
In 1955 he was admitted to the School of Theatre at the
University of Chile
The University of Chile () is a public university, public research university in Santiago, Chile. It was founded on November 19, 1842, and inaugurated on September 17, 1843.
. By this time, Villagra already had a solid theatrical background that made him stand out among the students of the School. As a freshman at the University, by chance, he was asked to replace a professional actor in a production of the University's Experimental Theatre (ITUCH) a few days before it opened. It was only a small part, but critics at the premiere regarded him as "a hope for the Chilean theatre."
Upon graduation from the School of Theatre in 1958, he was hired by the Teatro de la
Universidad de Concepción
Universidad (Spanish for "university") may refer to:
Places
* Universidad, San Juan, Puerto Rico
* Universidad (Madrid)
Football clubs
* Universidad SC, a Guatemalan football club that represents the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
...
(TUC), which had just begun the process of professionalization, having produced many excellent amateur works. The TUC was first led by Gabriel Martinez-Sotomayor, a renowned teacher with profound knowledge of the work of Russian theatre teacher Stanislavsky. The TUC was able to establish a collective attitude to their stage work, without compromising the individual development of its actors. "We created a working group which enabled all we learned," said Villagra.
Towards the end of 1959, the TUC reported that Pedro de la Barra - considered by many the father of university theatres in Chile - had left the post of artistic and administrative director at the Institute of Theatre (formerly ITUCH) and was invited to work with their group. It was through these two masters, and Gabriel Martinez-Sotomayor, that consolidated Villagra's place in the TUC for a duration of 7 years. It was during this period that his distinct talent was recognized, a recognition that would later lead him to film acting.
In early 1965, Villagra was hired by the Theatre ICTUS of Santiago, and moved to the capital with his family. Among several works that cast Villagra as an actor, the most memorable was undoubtedly his brilliant interpretation of the African-American Randall in the play ''Slow Dance Towards the Gallows'' by
William Hanley
William Hanley (October 22, 1931 – May 25, 2012) was an American playwright, novelist, and scriptwriter, born in Lorain, Ohio. Hanley wrote plays for the theatre, radio and television and published three novels in the 1970s. He was related t ...
(''Slow Dance on the Killing Ground'').
Villagra subsequently worked in various theatre groups in Santiago - including The council (formed by himself and four companions of the TUC) as well as on television and in seven Chilean films, most famously '' Three Sad Tigers'' (1968) and '' El Chacal de Nahueltoro'' (1969).
On 11 September 1973, his artistic career was interrupted when he was forced into exile in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, owing to his social and political activities in Chile. He also spent periods in
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, Quebec, Canada - where he met and married Begoña Zabala, a
Basque
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous co ...
. In 1990, he was cast in ''Artikos'' directed by Renny Bartlett and produced for the
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
in London. In 1992, Villagra decided to set up play in Montreal. ''The Lord of Light'' was self-written, and made a theatrical tour to Chile lasting three months and extending to
Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar (; meaning "Vineyard of the Sea") is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune on Zona Central, Chile, central Chile's Pacific coast. Often referred to as ("The Garden City"), Viña del Mar is located withi ...
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
judged that Villagra fully dominated in phonetics and accent required and left his voice in the film, unmodified.
Recent work
In 1997 Villagra returned to Chile with his wife Begoña, also an actor, owing to various work commitments. There they remained for 6 years living in Santiago and receiving the praise of spectators and critics all over. Villagra also worked in Chilean television and film, extending his stay until 2003 inclusively. During 1998, the second year of the couple's residence in Chile, Villagra was invited by the National Theatre to participate in the assembly of a work by
August Strindberg
Johan August Strindberg (; ; 22 January 184914 May 1912) was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, and painter.Lane (1998), 1040. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg wrote more than 60 pla ...
- ''Playing with Fire'' - directed by guest Swedish director
Staffan Valdemar Holm
Staffan Valdemar Holm (born 7 October 1958 in Tomelilla, Skåne) is a Swedish-German theatre director.
Staffan Valdemar Holm was trained at Statens Teaterskole in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was
managing director of the Royal Dramatic Theatre in S ...
. After a successful season in Chile, the play went on to the Strindberg Festival in
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
Marguerite Duras
Marguerite Germaine Marie Donnadieu (, 4 April 1914 – 3 March 1996), known as Marguerite Duras (), was a French novelist, playwright, screenwriter, essayist, and experimental filmmaker. Her script for the film ''Hiroshima mon amour'' (1959) ea ...
, directed by Jaime Silva.
In late 2003, Villagra returned to Montreal with his wife, only to return to Chile a few months later in early 2004 to join the cast of a new TV series with Canal 13. Upon returning to Montreal in late 2004, he declared that in future he will only participate in "artistically worthwhile" projects. Thus, since 2004, despite having received several offers, Villagra has only accepted the film project '' El regalo'', filmed in
Chillán
Chillán () is the capital List of cities in Chile, city of Ñuble Region, DiguillÃn Province, Chile, located about south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the center of the country. It has been the capital of the new Ñuble Region since ...
(Chile) in 2008.
Villagra currently resides in Montreal, after having worked throughout his life in more than 60 plays, 40 films and TV series. Along with his wife and fellow actors he has begun to develop an art collective which has already produced one short film, ''Transfer'' . At present the collective are preparing several new film projects.
The Last Supper
Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, '' The Last Supper'' (1495-1498). Mural, tempera on gesso, pitch and mastic, 700 x 880 cm (22.9 x 28.8 ...
The Widow of Montiel
''The Widow of Montiel'' () is a 1979 Mexican-Colombian drama film directed by Chilean filmmaker Miguel LittÃn. It is based on a short story of the same name by the Colombian Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel GarcÃa Marquez. It was entered i ...
'' (1979)
* ''
Cecilia
Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music.
History
The name has been popularly used in Europe (particularly the United Kingdom and Italy, where in 2018 it was the 43rd most popular name for g ...
'' (1982)
* ''
Amnesia
Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or brain diseases,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be temporarily caused by t ...
'' (1994)
* ''
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego (, ; Spanish for "Land of Fire", rarely also Fireland in English) is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South America, South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan.
The archipelago consists of the main is ...