Damián Szifron

Damián Szifron (born 9 July 1975) is an Argentine film and television director and screenwriter whose work has reshaped contemporary Argentine popular culture. Born in Ramos Mejía, Argentina, to a Jewish family, he cultivated his cinematic sensibilities under the mentorship of film theorist Angel Faretta, an apprenticeship that would later inform his sharply observational storytelling style. Szifron first burst onto the national scene with the television series Los simuladores (2002), a clever blend of comedy, drama, and heist motifs that quickly became the most successful TV series in Argentine history, lauded for its inventive premise and tightly scripted episodes. Following that triumph, he continued to explore the medium with Hermanos y detectives, a sequel‑style continuation that reinforced his reputation for witty, character‑driven narratives. In 2014, Szifron made his bold leap into feature film with Wild Tales, an anthology of six darkly comic stories that captured global attention; the film competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, and swept both the BAFTA and Goya awards in the same category, cementing his status as an internationally recognized auteur. Beyond his creative output, Szifron has demonstrated a keen ability to navigate the industry, securing a partnership with Paramount in 2022 for a film adaptation of Los simuladores slated for release in 2024, a testament to his enduring relevance and appeal. Active in the industry since 1992, he remains a pivotal figure in Latin American cinema, balancing commercial success with distinctive, socially resonant storytelling. Szifron is married to actress María Marull; details about children are not publicly disclosed.