Edgardo "Cartucho" Guerra is a Peruvian film director, screenwriter, and editor, recognized as a key figure in Peru’s independent and alternative cinema scene from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. He began his career by shooting short films and documentaries with a distinct social and countercultural focus on the streets of Lima, exploring subjects ranging from the chicha music phenomenon—centered on the figure of Chacalón—to intimate portraits of local poets such as Luis Hernández and Enrique Verástegui. After winning an award from the National Cinematography Council (CONACINE) in 1999, he solidified his career by writing and directing his debut feature film, Muerto de amor (2002). This co-production with Cuba, which starred the late, well-remembered actor Diego Bertie, captured—with a blend of irony and drama—the existential crisis of Lima’s upper class as it collided with the artistic bohemian scene of the era.
