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Nicolás López (director)

(Redirected from Nicolás López (Chilean director))

Nicolás Javier López Fernández (born 16 March 1983) is a Chilean film director screenwriter and producer. He is known for comedies such as Promedio Rojo (2004), the Qué pena trilogy (2010–2012), and the Paz Bascuñán vehicles Sin filtro (2016) and No estoy loca (2018).

Nicolás López
López in 2015
Born (1983-03-16) 16 March 1983 (age 43)
Santiago, Chile
OccupationsFilm director, screenwriter, producer
Websitesobras.com

Life and work

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López became interested in filmmaking at a young age. After reading Rebel Without a Crew (1995) by Robert Rodriguez and watching Clerks (1994) by Kevin Smith, he began experimenting with his family's video camera. By the age of 12, he was already writing a column for El Mercurio. His column, Memorias de un Pingüino ("Memories of a Penguin"), ran from 1997 to 1999. Following his expulsion from school, he began writing a new column titled López.[1]

At age 20, López directed his first feature film, Promedio Rojo (2004), which became a local box office success and screened at international festivals including the Tokyo International Film Festival, SXSW and the Los Angeles Film Festival.[2]

He followed with Santos (2008), a Chile–Spain co-production, which won the Special Jury Prize at Fantastic Fest.[3]

Between 2010 and 2012, López wrote and directed the Qué pena trilogy, which surpassed 500,000 admissions in Chile and later expanded into Mexico with remakes including Qué pena tu vida (2016) and En las buenas y en las malas (2019).[4]

In 2012, López partnered with American director Eli Roth to release Aftershock, which premiered in the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival.[5] He later co-wrote and produced The Green Inferno (2013), which screened at festivals including Toronto and Sitges,[6] and Knock Knock (2015), starring Keanu Reeves and Ana de Armas, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[7]

López also served as executive producer on The Stranger (2014) and The Inhabitant (2018), both directed by Guillermo Amoedo, and co-produced the Chilean films Fuerzas Especiales (2014) and Fuerzas Especiales 2 (2015), which together surpassed 400,000 admissions in Chile.[8]

In 2016, he directed Sin filtro, which became one of the most successful Chilean films of all time with over 1.2 million admissions.[9] The film was later included in a 2025 national survey by Cadem as the third most popular Chilean film of the previous decade.[10]

He followed with Hazlo como hombre (2017), which grossed approximately $13.6 million worldwide and surpassed 4.2 million admissions in Mexico, becoming the highest-grossing Mexican film of its year.[11]

As co-producer, he participated in Ya veremos (2018), which grossed approximately $14.1 million worldwide and became the most-watched Mexican film of that year.[12]

That same year, he directed No estoy loca (2018), which reached around 600,000 admissions in Chile and was later ranked fifth in the same Cadem survey.[13]

In 2019, he directed Dulce Familia, which grossed approximately $5.7 million worldwide.[14]

His body of work, combining original productions and international remakes, has generated approximately $85 million at the worldwide box office and reached more than 20 million theatrical admissions globally.[15] His films have screened at major international festivals including SXSW, Tokyo, Sundance, Toronto, Sitges and Mar del Plata.[15]

In 2025, the Brazilian remake Uma Mulher Sem Filtro debuted on Netflix, ranking among the most-watched titles in Brazil. That same year, López participated as associate producer on the horror film Tormento, released in Mexican theaters.[15]

According to the 2025 Cadem national survey, Sin filtro ranked third and No estoy loca fifth among the most popular Chilean films of the previous decade.[16]

The López case

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On 30 June 2018, eight Chilean actresses and models accused Nicolás López of sexual harassment and workplace bullying.[17] The following day, Netflix announced it was putting its deal with Sobras "under review", and López posted a video online stating he was resigning from Sobras and would defend himself against the allegations: "I don't understand what is happening nor the break in my years-long relationships of trust and affection. If I sometimes have been misunderstood, I apologize. But I'm not a stalker nor an abuser."[18]

The accusations, published in the Chilean magazine Revista Sábado, prompted the Fiscalía de Chile, under then regional prosecutor Manuel Guerra, to open an ex officio investigation.[19] During the proceedings, López was held in custody for 14 days before the Corte Suprema de Chile granted a habeas corpus appeal and ordered his release, ruling that the deprivation of liberty was unlawful.[20]

The prosecution was carried out by a team that included prosecutor Lorena Parra, and the judicial proceedings involved judge Alonso Arancibia, with investigative support from the Policía de Investigaciones de Chile (PDI).[21] The accusations were publicly supported by the Fundación para la Confianza and legally represented by Juan Pablo Hermosilla, who acted as counsel for some of the complainants and participated in the public discussion surrounding the case.[22]

On 26 April 2022, López was found guilty of two cases of innapropiate behaviour.[23] On 16 May 2022 López was found guilty of inappropriate behavior and was released under a sentence that required him to undergo psychological treatment.

In the years that followed, several figures and institutions connected to the case became involved in separate legal or disciplinary proceedings, which some observers have interpreted as consistent with earlier claims by defense attorney Paula Vial regarding potential irregularities in the handling of high-profile cases.

In March 2026, former prosecutor Manuel Guerra was placed in pretrial detention in connection with the Caso Hermosilla, facing charges including aggravated bribery, administrative prevarication and breach of confidentiality.[24] The case revealed exchanges and links between judicial authorities, prosecutors and private actors. Prosecutor Lorena Parra later appeared as a witness in proceedings linked to the Caso Hermosilla, following the publication of prior communications with individuals involved in the investigation.[25]

In 2025, former judge Alonso Arancibia was convicted and sentenced to 41 days for recording women without their consent in a gym, in an unrelated case.[26] In March 2026, former director of the Policía de Investigaciones de Chile, Héctor Espinosa, was sentenced by the Corte Suprema de Chile to 17 years in prison for embezzlement of public funds, forgery of public documents and money laundering.[27]

The Fundación para la Confianza has also faced public criticism regarding its role in high-profile cases.[28] Attorney Juan Pablo Hermosilla has also been subject to ethical investigations by the Colegio de Abogados de Chile.[29]

Awards

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Sitges – Catalan International Film Festival
  • Nominated, Grand Prize of European Fantasy Film in Silver, Official Fantàstic Panorama Selection, Mis peores amigos: Promedio Rojo, El regreso (2013)
  • Nominated, Maria, Best Motion Picture, Aftershock (2012)
Tokyo International Film Festival
  • Nominated, Tokyo Grand Prix, Promedio Rojo (2004)
Viña del Mar International Film Festival
  • Won, Special Jury Award, Promedio Rojo (2004)

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2003 Cesante No Yes Executive
2004 Promedio Rojo Yes Yes Executive
2008 Santos Yes Yes Co-producer Also executive producer
2010 Qué pena tu vida Yes Yes No
2011 Qué pena tu boda Yes Yes Executive
2012 Aftershock Yes Yes No
Qué pena tu familia Yes Yes Executive
2013 Mis peores amigos: Promedio Rojo, el regreso Yes Yes Executive
2014 Fuerzas Especiales No Yes Executive
2015 Knock Knock No Yes Yes
2016 Sin filtro Yes Yes Executive
2017 Hazlo como hombre Yes Yes Executive
2018 No estoy loca Yes Yes No
2019 Dulce familia Yes Yes No

Producer only

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Ángel Negro Associate producer
2006 80s, El soundtrack de una generación Executive producer Documentary film
2007 Normal con alas Producer
2009 Retorno
2013 The Green Inferno
2014 The Stranger Producer /Executive producer
2015 Te Kuhane o te Tupuna: El espíritu de los ancestros Co-producer Documentary film
Fuerzas Especiales 2: Cabos sueltos Executive producer
2016 Madre Producer
Qué pena tu vida Executive producer Mexican remake of his film Qué pena tu vida
2017 El habitante
2018 Una mujer sin filtro Mexican remake of his film Sin filtro
Sin Rodeos Spanish remake of his film Sin filtro
Re loca Argentinian remake of his film Sin filtro
Sin pepita en la lengua Panamanian remake of his film Sin filtro
2019 En las buenas, en las malas Mexican remake of his film Qué pena tu boda
Recontraloca Peruan remake of his film Sin filtro
2020 Cosa de hombres Chilean remake of his Mexican film Hazlo como hombre
Cambio tutto! Italian remake of his film Sin filtro
2021 El Mesero Associate producer

Short film

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1999 Pajero Yes Yes No Also cinematographer and editor
Superheroes Yes Yes Yes
Dédalos Yes No No Documentary short film
2000 Florofilia Yes Yes Yes
2019 Cineminuto Cinemex: Dulce Familia Yes No No Advertisement short

Television

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2003 MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica 2003 No Yes No TV special
2007 Súper Niño Bully Yes Yes No TV Short
2011 El Crack Yes No Executive TV movie;

Co-directed with Guillermo Amoedo

2015 Qué pena tu serie Yes Yes Yes TV series
La leyenda de el Carack No No Executive TV movie

Webseries

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Year Title Director Producer Notes
2011 El Crack Yes Yes Co-Director with Guillermo Amoedo
2013 Se venden General Director No

Music videos

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  • Mujer robusta – Sinergia, with Eduardo Bertrán (2002)
  • Concurso – Sinergia, with Eduardo Bertrán (2002)
  • Chilerobot – Sinergia, with Eduardo Bertrán (2003)
  • Te quiero ver muerta – Tiro Al Aire, with Eduardo Bertrán
  • Traigo el aguante – Santo Barrio, with Eduardo Bertrán (2002)
  • Toma lo que quieras – Claudio Quiñones, with Eduardo Bertrán

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Cite error: The named reference bio1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ↑ Cite error: The named reference bio2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ↑ Cite error: The named reference bio3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ↑ Cite error: The named reference bio4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ↑ https://www.tiff.net/films/aftershock
  6. ↑ https://sitgesfilmfestival.com/en/film?id=10002964
  7. ↑ https://www.sundance.org/projects/knock-knock
  8. ↑ Cite error: The named reference bio5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ↑ https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_filtro_(pel%C3%ADcula_de_2016)
  10. ↑ https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/artes-y-cultura/actualidad-cultural/2025/06/22/2-de-lopez-2-de-alberdi-las-20-mejores-peliculas-chilenas-de-la-ultima-decada-segun-encuesta-cadem.shtml
  11. ↑ https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt6433180/
  12. ↑ https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt7948540/?ref_=bo_se_r_1
  13. ↑ https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_estoy_loca
  14. ↑ https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt9880982/?ref_=bo_se_r_1
  15. 1 2 3
    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38689148/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_tormento
  16. ↑ https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/artes-y-cultura/actualidad-cultural/2025/06/22/2-de-lopez-2-de-alberdi-las-20-mejores-peliculas-chilenas-de-la-ultima-decada-segun-encuesta-cadem.shtml
  17. ↑ "Las denuncias de acoso contra Nicolás López". Revista Sábado, La Tercera (in Spanish). 30 June 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  18. ↑ "Fiscalía abre investigación de oficio contra Nicolás López". CNN Chile (in Spanish). 3 July 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  19. ↑ "Fiscalía abre investigación de oficio contra Nicolás López". CNN Chile (in Spanish). 3 July 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  20. ↑ "Corte Suprema acoge recurso de amparo y ordena libertad de Nicolás López". En Estrado (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "Fiscalía formalizó investigación contra Nicolás López". Fiscalía de Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "Abogado de denunciantes de Nicolás López". CNN Chile (in Spanish). 26 November 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  23. ↑ "Tribunal declara culpable a Nicolás López". Poder Judicial de Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  24. ↑ "Exfiscal Manuel Guerra es formalizado en el Caso Audios". La Tercera (in Spanish). 2026.
  25. ↑ "Revelan chats en el marco del Caso Hermosilla". Emol (in Spanish). 2024.
  26. ↑ "Exjuez Alonso Arancibia es condenado por grabaciones sin consentimiento". La Tercera (in Spanish). 2025.
  27. ↑ "Corte Suprema confirma condena contra Héctor Espinosa". La Tercera (in Spanish). 2026.
  28. ↑ "Críticas a la Fundación para la Confianza por su rol en casos mediáticos". La Tercera (in Spanish). 2024.
  29. ↑ "Colegio de Abogados revisa conducta de Juan Pablo Hermosilla". Emol (in Spanish). 2024.
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