Abel Peñalba is a photographer, musician and filmmaker. He lives in Germany, but he was born and grew up in Argentina, where he studied film-making at the 'Universidad del Cine, in Buenos Aires'.
During his career, he has filmed feature films, documentaries, and short movies, plus commercials for a variety of products.
Gian Luca Gardini:
Idea, academic research, script and presentation.
Gian Luca Gardini is full professor and Chair of History of International Relations (with focus on Latin America) at the University of Udine, Italy. From 2014 to 2021, he was Chair of International Business and Society Relations with focus on Latin America at Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen Nuremberg, Germany. At the same institution, he was also Carlos Saavedra Lamas Visiting Professor of International Relations between 2021 and 2023. He currently holds a Jean Monnet Chair in European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean Relations (EU2LAC) financed by the European Union. He has previously taught at the University of Cambridge and at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.
He holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and a PhD in International Relations from the University of Cambridge. He also obtained a Graduate Diploma in European Studies from the Italian Centre for International Economic Cooperation.
His main research interests cover the international relations of Latin America, foreign policy analysis, comparative regional integration, international organization, and issues of international power, order and institutions. Among his recent books are The Redefinition of the EU Presence in Latin America and the Caribbean (Peter Lang, 2023 – winner of the Claudia Castañeda Prize as best book 2020-2023 from the Chilean Political Science Association), External Powers in Latin America (Routledge, 2021), The World Before and After COVID-19 (EIIS, 2020).
He also acted as a practitioner of International and EU affairs. He was project manager for several EU consulting firms, Representative to the EU of the Italian Confederation of Industry, and International Trade Advisor to EUROCHAMBRES, the European Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. In 2012, he was seconded officer to the Chilean Foreign Ministry working in the team that organised the EU-Latin American and Caribbean Summit.
In 1996, he was awarded with the "Coral Award" for Best Photography for the feature film "Moebius" at the Havana Film Festival.
As a photographer he has shown his work in various galleries in Germany.
As a musician, he plays regularly in a couple of bands and he creates his own compositions. He also writes and performs his own soundtracks for films.
'Arquitecto de paz' is his first feature-length documentary as a director.
Abel Peñalba:
director, cinematographer, composer and editor.
