# Catalina Saavedra

Catalina Saavedra Pérez (born 8 January 1968) is a Chilean film, stage and television actress. She is known to international audiences for playing the title character in the 2009 film The Maid, for which she received several awards and nominations.

## Career

Saavedra's father is the writer Omar Saavedra Santis. She started acting lessons at the age of ten, prompted by her mother's hiring of a private theater arts teacher in Valparaíso. Years later, her love for acting led her to deepen her studies at the "Escuela de Teatro Imagen" in Santiago and later in Barcelona, when she began to study experimental theatre.
Saavedra's first professional theatre performances were in roles in plays such as El Despertar (1991–1997), Pervertimientos y Otros Gestos Para Nada (1993) and La noche de la Iguana (The Night of the Iguana) (1994), and in a café-chantant called TV cable 90 (1992). On film, Saavedra's first appearances were in short films, such as El Bidón and Volando Voy (directed by Miguel Littín). Saavedra has performed various roles in several soap operas, sitcoms and TV shows on Chilean and German television.
International recognition for Saavedra came in 2009, for her leading role as Raquel in the 2009 Chilean film The Maid (2009 film). It was released on 13 August 2009 in Chile and 16 October 2009 in the United States, grossing over $400,000 in the first few weeks in theaters with only 18 copies circulating, turning into one of the most successful Chilean films in the United States. The film ended its theatrical run in the United States with a gross of $576,608. Her role was praised by specialized press and critics around the world, bestowing her many acting awards, including Best Actress at the Sundance Film Festival, Torino Film Festival, Huelva Film Festival, Biarritz Film Festival, Cartagena Film Festival and Miami Film Festival, a breakthrough award at the Gotham Independent Film Awards and a Satellite Awards nomination. In late 2009, she appeared as a possible nominee for the most important film awards, Academy Awards and Golden Globes Awards along with the film The Maid for International Movie.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | El Bidón | | Short film |
| 1997 | Volando Voy | Luchita | Short film directed by Miguel Littín, director nominated twice for an Academy Award. |
| 1999 | Salmón a lo Pobre | | Short film |
| 2002 | La Perra | | |
| 2007 | Normal con Alas | | |
| 2007 | Life Kills Me | | |
| 2008 | 31 minutos, la película | Cachirula (voice) | Havana Film Festival Award-winning for Best Animated Film |
| 2008 | Ausente | | |
| 2008 | Chile puede | Magda | Supported by the National Council For Arts & Culture, Chile |
| 2008 | Mami Te Amo | | |
| 2008 | Secretos | | |
| 2009 | The Dancer and the Thief | Madre Ángel | Short appearance. Directed by Fernando Trueba, Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film with Belle Époque. |
| 2009 | The Maid | Raquel | Sundance Film Festival Award-winning. Nominated for "The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards" consideration honoring 2009 achievements. |
| 2011 | Old Cats | | |
| 2014 | The Quispe Girls | Lucía Quispe | Directed by Sebastián Sepúlveda. |
| 2018 | Marilyn | | |
| 2019 | Ema | | Directed by Pablo Larrain |
| 2021 | La mirada incendiada | | Directed by Tatiana Gaviola |
| 2022 | The Punishment | | Directed by Matías Bize |
| 2023 | History and Geography | Atenea | Directed by Bernardo Quesney |
| 2023 | Problemista | Dolores | Directed by Julio Torres |
| 2023 | Rotting in the Sun | Señora Verónica | Directed by Sebastián Silva |

## Awards and nominations
### Theatre

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2008 | Altazor Awards | Best Actress in a Play | Las Brutas | Won |

### Film

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2007 | SANFIC | Special Mention for Acting | Life Kills Me | Won |
| 2009 | Guadalajara International Film Festival | Best Actress in a leading role | The Maid | Won |
| 2009 | Iberoamerican Huelva Film Festival | Best Actress in a leading role | The Maid | Won |
| 2009 | Turin Film Festival | Best Actress in a leading role | The Maid | Won |
| 2009 | Biarritz Film Festival | Best Actress in a leading role | The Maid | Won |
| 2009 | Cartagena International Film Festival | Best Actress in a leading role | The Maid | Won |
| 2009 | Miami International Film Festival | Best Actress in a leading role | The Maid | Won |
| 2009 | Havana Film Festival | Best Actress in a leading role | The Maid | Won |
| 2009 | Sundance Film Festival Awards | World Cinema Special Jury Prize for Acting | The Maid | Won |
| 2009 | Gotham Film Awards | Breakthrough Actor | The Maid | Won |
| 2009 | Satellite Awards 2009 | Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama | The Maid | Nominated |
| 2010 | Dorian Awards | Film Performance of the Year | The Maid | Nominated |
| 2010 | Altazor Awards | Best Actress | The Maid | Won |
| 2010 | Pedro Sienna Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | The Maid | Won |
| 2010 | People en Español Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | The Maid | Nominated |
| 2024 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Supporting Performance | Rotting in the Sun | Nominated |

## Work in TV and stage
### Television credits (sitcoms and series)

* Jaguar Yu (1992)
* Amor a domicilio, la comedia (1996) as Brígida
* Geografía del deseo (2004), as Marisa
* Los Galindo (2005), season 1, episode 1
* Loco por ti (2005), season 4, episode 2
* Los simuladores (2005), season 1, episodes 1, 3, 4 and 8
* La Nany (2005), season 1, episodes 8 and 76
* La otra cara del espejo (2006), season 1, episode 1
* Urgencias (2006), season 2, episode 9
* Huaiquimán y Tolosa (2006), season 1, episode 8
* Los Venegas (2006–2011) as Josefina

### Television credits (soap operas)

* Hasta en las mejores familias (1994) as Jessica
* Amor a Domicilio (1995) as Brígida
* Adrenalina (1996) as Raquel Trujillo
* Playa Salvaje (1997) as Susana
* Fuera de Control (1999) as Pamela Duarte
* Sabor a Ti (2000) as Virginia Solano
* Piel Canela (2001) as Talula Vargas
* Buen Partido (2002) as Rita
* Fortunato (2007), as Dulcinea

### Stage credits

* El Despertar (1991–1997)
* Pervertimientos y Otros Gestos Para Nada (1993)
* La noche de la Iguana (1994)
* Muerte de un Funcionario Público (1995)
* Telarañas (1996, 1998)
* Sht (2000)
* Ojos Rotos (2001–2002) (performed in Chile and at the International Hispanic Theatre Festival of Miami)
* Firmas para el Amor (2001–2002), Assistant director
* Circulando (2003)
* Ni Ahí (2004)
* Inocencia (2004)
* En La Sangre (2004)
* Putas Errantes (2005–2006)
* El lugar de la misericordia (2006), Assistant director
* Las Gallinas (2007)
* Las Brutas (2007) (performed in Chile and in a Tour to Europe)
* Los Mountainbikers (2008)
* Diatriba de la victoria (2009)
* Equívoca Fuga de Señorita Apretando un Pañuelo de encaje sobre su Pecho (2009)