He makes his work his passion and shoots a small comedy that receives rave reviews entitled Debut. Enthusiastic about his work, he shoots the documentary While the glove body and the resounding failure “Sal Gorda”. Still he is considered one of the most talented filmmakers of his generation. Later he directs “The Dream of the Crazy Monkey” and gets rave reviews.
After two years he consecrates himself with the film Belle epoque; set in the second republic, it tells the story of a deserter from the army who befriends a man who has four daughters, each one more beautiful. Awarded with 9 Goya awards, for best film, best director and best actress (Ariadna Gil) and awarded a Hollywood Oscar for the best foreign language film in the United States. For many it is a hymn to optimism and freedom that is visible in all planes of the film.
Film “Be unfaithful and don’t look with whom” starring Ana Belen, Carmen Maura Y Antonio Resines among others and in a short time he directs “Two Much”, with Antonio Banderas Y Melanie Griffith; It was a commercial failure despite its attractive acting cast. But not disappointed with his failure premieres “The girl of your eyes with which he wins Goya for Best Director among other awards. The film is performed by Penelope Cruz.
He directs other films not mentioned above such as “The year of lights”, “54th Street”, “The spell of Shanghai”, the documentary “The miracle of Candeal”, “The dance of victory” Y “Chico & Rita”, an animated film awarded with a Goya for Best Animated Film. He received several Goyas as best director, screenwriter and documentary maker.
Fernando has always been a lover of Latin jazz and he showed it in the filming of “Calle 54”, a documentary that consists of several interpretations of refuted musicians from the Latin scene.