Amanda Cots
Amanda Cots is a Spanish cinematographer and photographer. She trained at the International Film and TV School of Cuba (EICTV), specializing in cinematography.
She has worked on numerous fiction and documentary projects presented at international festivals such as San Sebastián, Visions du Réel, Cinéma du Réel, and the Málaga Film Festival, among others. She also co-directed the documentary short film Futuro, which premiered at the Oberhausen International Festival and was selected for major festivals such as SEMINCI and the Mar del Plata International Film Festival.
In 2023, she was selected for the CIMA Mentoring program, which supports emerging female talent in the audiovisual field.
In 2020, she received a scholarship to attend a course taught by photographers from the Magnum agency, a key experience in her career. During that course, she developed the project Garbí, mentored by Cristina de Middel, the current president of Magnum. Garbí was selected for PhotoEspaña, Mapas de GetxoPhoto, and exhibited in major galleries such as La Cometa and Ona Galería.
artist statement
My work as a visual artist explores the intersection between documentary and fiction, challenging traditional narratives by merging the real with the imagined. I find inspiration in my own family, my hometown, and the richness of popular mythology—elements that intertwine to form the foundation of my artistic practice.
My practice focuses on examining family heritage and how traumas, as well as what remains invisible, are passed down from generation to generation. I am particularly interested in observing how new generations coexist with inherited norms—how, while transgressing them, they also assimilate aspects of this unconscious legacy.
I draw on theories that study rituals as sociopolitical practices shaping our collective identity and investigate how family myths and cultural heritage persist over time. These concepts allow me to analyze how inherited symbols transform into visual narratives that question the very meaning of identity, legacy, and personal significance in a constantly changing world.