Known For: Directing
Born: January 1, 1948
Place of Birth: Santiago de Chile, Chile

Juan Forch

The Chilean director, author and photographer Juan Forch was born in Santiago, Chile, in 1948. He studied journalism at the Universidad de Chile. While still a student, he worked as a photojournalist for Ramona magazine and joined the ChileFilms company as a scriptwriter and director for short documentaries. In 1972, he also co-wrote with Lucho Abarca the well-known study, Viaje por la juventud (A Journey through Youth, Quimantú publishing house), about the subculture youth scene in Chile. After the military coup in Chile in 1973 and a short detention, he immigrated to East Germany via Mexico. After working at the camera manufacturer, Dresden Pentacon, he joined the DEFA Studio for Animation Films in Dresden and learned the craft of animation. Between 1975 and 1978, Forch made several animation and documentary films drawing on his Chilean background and his artistic and political experi…