Guillermo Lopez Aliaga Miguel Hernández is a professor and researcher in the Art Department of the university, deeply passionate about film editing. He teaches audiovisual editing to students in the Audiovisual Communication degree. Originating from Alicante, he is among a small group supported by the Film Academy to advance film research, receiving annual recognition and funding to develop a project on film editing. This work is treated as one of the most exciting and important parts of the movie-making process, even if it remains among the less visible aspects of cinema.
The Film Academy selected Lopez Aliaga’s project for its third edition, titled Visions and Experiences of an Invisible Trade. It traces the journey from the editing room to Spanish cinema, and includes studies of Alicante filmmaker Cecilia Bartolomé, Andrea Gutierrez Bermejo, and Antonio del Amo, under the leadership of Louis Alegre. Chosen from a pool of thirty-two proposals, each recipient receives a grant of 12,000 euros to advance their investigations over the next eighteen months.
“My aim is to map Spanish cinema from the editing room outward,” the researcher from Alicante explains. He notes that editors and technicians have often been kept out of the spotlight during shoots, while directors and actors take center stage. He intends to illuminate this profession through interviews and a critical appreciation of the work editors perform, sharing their visions and reviewing their careers in tandem with the broader industry.
Guillermo López plans to conduct interviews with a total of 24 professionals in Spain, twelve women and twelve men from different generations, to provide a sweeping view of the profession over time. The roster includes veterans like Miguel González Sinde, Julia Juániz, Teresa Font, and Anastasia Rinos, alongside younger figures such as Main Phase and Jaume Martí. The project will be realized through a combination of two books and a series of concise audiovisual pieces, offering an accessible, multimedia portrait of the field.
Editor Teresa Font is among the interviewees for this initiative, which aims to bring together voices from across the industry to document the evolution of editing in Spanish cinema.
An artistic and intellectual pursuit
Editors are not merely technicians; they are pivotal storytellers. The editing process shapes narrative, synchronizes performance with images, and crafts the final version of the storytelling arc. The editor’s role can rescue a movie or, if misused, undermine it. This responsibility makes editing a deeply artistic and intellectual craft, where the collaboration between director and editor often resembles a close partnership rather than a simple workflow.
There have been remarkable duos in Spanish cinema’s history. Pedro Almodóvar and Pepe Salcedo, Teresa Font who edited all her films from the 1980s onward, and Nacho Ruiz Capillas, who has become a staple in Fernando León de Aranoa’s productions, stand as notable examples of enduring editor-director collaborations.
“A luxury”
The project, which aims to be completed by mid-year, is part of a broader effort by the Massiva Research Group at the university. Since 2016, the group has pursued the Hall of Frame documentary project to build an archive of key figures in cinema. The current study promises a journey through the editing rooms of Spanish cinema, offering fresh perspectives on the craft and its impact on film language.
The Berlanga scholarship represents a significant opportunity and a meaningful gift for López Aliaga, who is deeply committed to research and teaching. The university’s film studies program emphasizes hands-on learning, enabling students to collaborate directly with industry professionals on fictional projects. This immersive approach ensures students gain practical experience in editing and post-production, reinforcing the connection between academic study and professional practice.