Puenzo was born in Buenos Aires in 1946. He began a successful career in 1965 producing television advertising spots in Argentina. He founded Luis Puenzo Cinema, a production company, with Sergio Tamburri (film editor and trombone player of the famous Porteña Jazz Band); the firm's name was changed to Cinemanía S.A. in 1974.
During Argentina's Dirty War in the mid 1970s and early 1980s many filmmakers became victims of repression and some went into exile; some disappeared. During this difficult t