Benito Rabal, born in Madrid in 1954, is a name forever linked to the fame of his actor parents, Paco Rabal and Asuncion Balaguer. He embraces that legacy with pride, convinced that no one feels the depth of devotion he shows for them more than he does. This lifelong tribute has now been captured in the book Gracias por mi vida, published in 2023 by Book Globe. The volume goes beyond his parents to recount the other people he encountered along the way—individuals who, whether known to him or not, offered valuable, uplifting lessons. The work is a novel in spirit, not a memoir, and its author will discuss it this Saturday from 20:00 at the Baron de Benifayó Museum in San Pedro del Pinatar, where he will present the book with Andrés Sánchez Caballero, prefacing the event with a brief note on La.
How is Benito doing?
He responds with warmth about home life. He was in Murcia yesterday, and every Tuesday he leads an acting workshop in front of the camera for the Regional Actors Association.
His connection to cinema remains strong, yet he has recently grown more interested in other art forms. Should he be described as a filmmaker or a writer?
[He laughs] As a storyteller. After all, literature and cinema share a core impulse; the differences are real, but the essence remains.
He published his first novel last year, yesterday tomorrow (2023), and a few months later his second book, Gracias por mi vida, arrived in bookstores. He met the moment with contagious enthusiasm. Yes, he’s already embarked on a third project.
When we spoke during the launch of his film Tomorrow, he reiterated that he was already moving toward the next work. Now we turn to what might shape this forthcoming bibliographic entry, the third in Benito Rabal’s literary journey.
He explains that this is a story born from a movie concept conceived in the nineties, later set aside, yet it sparked the idea of transforming those thoughts into a novel. Much of the narrative unfolds in Murcia and nods to the historical birth of GAL, though he prefers not to reveal more at this stage. For now, the focus is on presenting it as a political thriller.
It feels cinematic; it’s fair to say you write with the sensibility of a scriptwriter, which keeps you intimately connected to active literature. So what discoveries does writing offer at this point in your life?
There is a practical need tied to his craft. People who work with their hands are always creating something; his wife knits, paints, repairs old furniture, and he, in turn, must tell stories. The past few years have reshaped cinema, making new projects harder to start, so he began shaping the ideas for the big screen into a novel format—an outlet and a compass for his storytelling.
So what binds you to this path? Writing is not just a hobby; it is a vocation he can pursue at home, in a peaceful space that suits his temperament.
His first novel carried autobiographical tones, and in earlier conversations he admitted that writing influenced him. This new work doesn’t claim to be a biography; rather, it is a deliberately crafted reflection on his life, shaped around his parents and the world of cinema and culture that surrounded him.
La Esfera de los Libros published the first volume, and the publishers encouraged a novel rooted in personal experience. It led him to explore a portion of his family history and, in the process, to honor the people who taught him the value of human dignity.
The core message is that this is a novel. Everything described really happened, though some sections were adapted to fit the narrative, given that this is not a memoir. The central thread remains his relationship with family and with cinema, as well as broader cultural themes.
He recalls that it felt like a duty to remember and to honor his parents; their generosity and trust in others became a recurring motif. He remembers people asking for help, and his parents’ willingness to give, sometimes without any expectation of repayment. That trust, he notes, shaped his own outlook on life.
Above all, he cherishes memories of his parents as impressive characters who defied destiny, built their careers, and influenced the world around them. Many personal experiences find a home in this book, spanning both cinema and everyday life.
Despite the ongoing success of his parents, Benito emphasizes that they were not the sole force shaping his career. Their influence helped open doors, but it was his own effort that kept them open. He relates a childhood memory of watching The Legend of Zalamea at a private screening with his father, an experience he describes as a pivotal moment that clarified his desire to tell stories through moving images.
Was it difficult to write this family story? It was not burdensome, he notes. The work is not a biography; it is a narrative crafted to convey lessons learned, focusing on positive guidance rather than exhaustive detail. Though he spent a year writing, the process felt fluid, weaving laughter with fond recollections and affirming that the life lived was, on balance, joyful.
Did the result satisfy him? He expresses clear satisfaction. The book has been described as highly engaging, full of humor and meaningful insights. He has always valued the company of smart and generous people—and yes, he has encountered a few less scrupulous characters, too, who remind him of moral boundaries.
What message should readers take from Gracias por mi vida? The central themes are love, humility, and the call to live with integrity and care for others. He hopes readers finish with a sense of gratitude for a life well lived, recognizing that the story extends beyond his family to include other renowned artists and the myriad strangers who offered lessons along the way. One friend even mused that the book began a new literary genre.
Two figures stand out in this inner journey: Paco and Asunción. What did he learn from his parents during the writing process that felt new? Their extraordinary generosity and unwavering trust in people left a lasting impression. His memories reveal moments of strangers seeking help who were met with kindness, a practice his parents embraced without hesitation. This openness and faith in others became a guiding light throughout the author’s life.