NYFA’s Acting Department Senior Instructor and Director of Fulbright Initiatives Miguel Cruz recently signed a development deal with FOX International Productions to supervise the Spanish adaptation of the Argentinian rom-com hit “Permitidos” (“That’s Not Cheating”).
Cruz will direct and produce the adaptation, and will be working with top Spanish scriptwriters Marta Sanchez (“Thi Mai”) and Antonio and David Sanchez Olivas (“Villaviciosa de Al Lado,” “Off Course”). Production is expected to receive the green light for shooting this spring in Spain, with Madrid and the Canary Islands as its main locations. This will mark Cruz’s return to comedy, as well as his first project for a U.S. studio after a long career in the Spanish TV industry.
Cruz’s relationship with the American film industry dates back to 2006, when he attended the Filmmaking program at The New York Film Academy on a Fulbright Scholarship. After his graduation, he went back to Spain to direct the sitcom “Aida.” The show was Spain’s most popular show at that time and aired for over 10 years.
His experience and hands-on training at NYFA helped inspire him to write, direct and produce his first feature length film, “Vulnerables,” a psychological thriller starring the popular Spanish actress Paula Echevarria. This independent film was released internationally and later broadcast on Sundance Channel. He is currently developing an English language daptation of “Vulnerables.”
In 2013, Cruz came back to Los Angeles to launch his career in the American industry. Since then he has combined his professional and academic careers: while pitching his next projects to major studios, Cruz has taught at NYFA in Los Angeles and held lectures abroad in places like Argentina, Colombia, and Senegal.
In his words, “There is a great opportunity in Hollywood right now for international filmmakers that aim to produce projects in local language with an universal narrative and Hollywood production standards. Each day more, local movies get greenlit in Hollywood, and knowing the industry and its ways, has been crucial for me in the development of a global career.”
by nyfa