Bardem is a Spanish director and screenwriter. He studied agriculture but began a film career in 1946 after getting a job in the film department of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture. Afterwards he enrolled in the Instituto de Investigaciones y Experiencias cinematográficas (IIEC), from which he never graduated. He wrote critiques and in 1953 founded the film magazine Objetivo, was banned by the government two years later. With a colleague from his studies, Luis García Berlango, he directed the short documentary Paseo Sobre una Guerra Antigua. Together they wrote the screenplay for the feature film That Happy Couple (Esa pareja feliz, 1951). They also co-wrote the screenplay for Welcome Mr. Marshall (Bienvenido, Mr. Marshall, 1952) directed by Berlanga. Bardem’s screenwriting and directing debut was the film Comedians (Cómicos, 1953). Since his films were often harsh critiques of Francisco Franco’s regime, he often had problems with the government and censorship. During the shooting of the film Main Street (Calle Mayor, 1956) he was arrested and while in prison won the critics’ award (FIPRESCI) for his previous film Death of a Cyclist (Muerte de un ciclista, 1955) at the Cannes Film festival. He got the same award at the Venice Film Festival for the film Main Street (Calle Mayor, 1956). His other films include The Player Pianos(Los pianos mecánicos, 1965), Foul Play (El puente, 1977) and Seven Days in January (Siete días de enero, 1979).