---
name: "Gustavo Santaolalla"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/gustavo-santaolalla"
fi1m_id: "gustavo-santaolalla"
imdb_id: "nm0763395"
tmdb_id: 278
wikidata_id: "Q312434"
roles: ["Composer"]
born: "19 August 1951"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 10
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_over: 10
updated: "2026-10-07T19:50:58.896676+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Gustavo Santaolalla

## Identity

Gustavo Santaolalla

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/gustavo-santaolalla
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** gustavo-santaolalla
- **IMDb ID:** nm0763395
- **TMDB ID:** 278
- **Wikidata ID:** Q312434
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Santaolalla, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312434, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0763395/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/278

Composer. Born 19 August 1951 in El Palomar, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Born:** 19 August 1951, El Palomar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- **Active:** 2000–present
- **Frequently works with:** [Alejandro González Iñárritu](https://film.one/person/alejandro-g-inarritu.md), [Guillermo Arriaga](https://film.one/person/guillermo-arriaga.md), [Gael García Bernal](https://film.one/person/gael-garcia-bernal.md), [Jon Kilik](https://film.one/person/jon-kilik.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscars (2 won)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 78 (5), 2010s 68 (3), 2020s 75 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 74 to 69 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 10, Comedy 3, Thriller 3, Animation 1, Crime 1, Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 19 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $583m across 8 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Santaolalla, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312434, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0763395/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/278

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Motorcycle Diaries*](https://film.one/film/the-motorcycle-diaries.md) (77), [*August: Osage County*](https://film.one/film/august-osage-county.md) (57)
- **HBO Max:** [*The Last of Us*](https://film.one/tv/the-last-of-us.md) (85)
- **Apple TV:** [*Amores Perros*](https://film.one/film/amores-perros.md) (85)
- **Tubi:** [*Wild Tales*](https://film.one/film/wild-tales.md) (83)
- **Netflix:** [*The House*](https://film.one/film/the-house.md) (65)
- **Hulu:** [*Babel*](https://film.one/film/babel.md) (64)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Gustavo Santaolalla is an Argentine musician and film composer. Born on 19 August 1951 in El Palomar, Buenos Aires, he began his career in rock music before moving into film scoring.

He is known for his minimalist scores using instruments such as the ronroco. His work includes *Amores Perros* (2000), *21 Grams* (2003), *The Motorcycle Diaries* (2004), *Brokeback Mountain* (2005), *Babel* (2006), *Wild Tales* (2014) and the score for the video game *The Last of Us* (2013) and its 2023 television adaptation.

Santaolalla won Academy Awards for Best Original Score for *Brokeback Mountain* and *Babel*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, forbes.com.*

## On Fi1m (10)

- *The Last of Us* (2023), Fi1m 85, Music — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-last-of-us.md)
- *The House* (2022), Fi1m 65, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-house.md)
- *Wild Tales* (2014), Fi1m 83, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/wild-tales.md)
- *August: Osage County* (2013), Fi1m 57, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/august-osage-county.md)
- *Biutiful* (2010), Fi1m 63, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/biutiful.md)
- *Babel* (2006), Fi1m 64, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/babel.md)
- *Brokeback Mountain* (2005), Fi1m 92, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/brokeback-mountain.md)
- *The Motorcycle Diaries* (2004), Fi1m 77, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/the-motorcycle-diaries.md)
- *21 Grams* (2003), Fi1m 72, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/21-grams.md)
- *Amores Perros* (2000), Fi1m 85, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/amores-perros.md)

## Complete filmography (60)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Norita* (2024), Original Music Composer, Executive Producer
- *Pedro Páramo* (2024), Original Music Composer
- *Arco Iris, música y filosofía* (2024), Actor
- *Grounded II: Making The Last of Us Part II* (2024), Music
- *Ayahuasca Now* (2024), Original Music Composer
- *Pleiades (or Going Home)* (2023), Original Music Composer
- *Dear Child* (2023), series, Music
- *Wild Life* (2023), Original Music Composer
- *The Last of Us* (2023), series, as Brittany and the Jug Boys - Ronroco · Original Music Composer — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-last-of-us.md)
- *Seremos millones* (2022), Music
- *Alone* (2022), Music
- *The House* (2022), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-house.md)
- *Finch* (2021), Original Music Composer
- *The Legend of El Cid* (2020), series, Music
- *BREAK IT ALL: The History of Rock in Latin America* (2020), series, Producer
- *Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb* (2020), Original Music Composer
- *The Fight* (2020), Music
- *Gustavo Santaolalla - Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra* (2019), Actor
- *Café Tacvba - Un Segundo / MTV Unplugged* (2019), Producer
- *The City Where Children Disappear* (2019), Music
- *Postman* (2019), Music, Original Music Composer
- *El cine a través de la música* (2019), Actor
- *Narcos: Mexico* (2018), series, Original Music Composer
- *The Tribes of Palos Verdes* (2017), Original Music Composer
- *All That Divides Us* (2017), Original Music Composer
- *To End a War* (2017), Original Music Composer
- *Before the Flood* (2016), Original Music Composer
- *Le Sang des Hardes* (2016), Music
- *Borrowed Time* (2015), Music
- *Jane the Virgin* (2014), series, as Theme Song Performance
- *The Book of Life* (2014), Original Music Composer
- *Wild Tales* (2014), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/wild-tales.md)
- *Rouge Brésil* (2014), Original Music Composer
- *August: Osage County* (2013), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/august-osage-county.md)
- *Grounded: Making The Last of Us* (2013), Music
- *Néstor Kirchner, la película* (2012), Original Music Composer
- *El Ocaso del Macá Tobiano* (2012), Music
- *On the Road* (2012), Original Music Composer
- *Eva from the Argentina* (2011), Music
- *His Mother's Eyes* (2011), Original Music Composer
- *Biutiful* (2010), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/biutiful.md)
- *Dhobi Ghat* (2010), Original Music Composer
- *Nanga Parbat* (2010), Original Music Composer
- *South of the Border* (2009), Associate Producer
- *I Come with the Rain* (2009), Original Music Composer
- *Linha de Passe* (2008), Original Music Composer
- *MTV Unplugged: Julieta Venegas* (2008), as Guest
- *Café de los maestros* (2008), Producer
- *Common Ground: Under Construction Notes* (2007), Music
- *Bajofondo Tango Club - Supervielle en el Solis* (2007), as Luciano Supervielle
- *Babel* (2006), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/babel.md)
- *Brokeback Mountain* (2005), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/brokeback-mountain.md)
- *North Country* (2005), Original Music Composer
- *The Motorcycle Diaries* (2004), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/the-motorcycle-diaries.md)
- *21 Grams* (2003), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/21-grams.md)
- *September 11* (2002), Original Music Composer
- *Amores Perros* (2000), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/amores-perros.md)
- *Hollywood Erotic Film Festival* (1986), as (segment "He Believes")
- *She Dances Alone* (1981), Music
- *Íntegro, Integro, Integró*, Music

## Gallery

- ![Guadalajara, Jalisco, 7 de marzo de 2008. El músico y productor Argentino Gustavo Santaolalla durante la rueda de prensa previa a su homenaje.](https://film.one/media/person/46631/gallery-510cbd594205.jpg) Guadalajara, Jalisco, 7 de marzo de 2008. El músico y productor Argentino Gustavo Santaolalla durante la rueda de prensa previa a su homenaje. — Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Gustavo_Santaolalla%2C_Festival_Internacional_de_Cine_en_Guadalajara%2C_March_07%2C_2008-2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Guadalajara, Jalisco, 7 de marzo de 2008. El músico y productor Argentino Gustavo Santaolalla durante la rueda de prensa previa a su homenaje.](https://film.one/media/person/46631/gallery-e05fa0580b21.jpg) Guadalajara, Jalisco, 7 de marzo de 2008. El músico y productor Argentino Gustavo Santaolalla durante la rueda de prensa previa a su homenaje. — Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Gustavo_Santaolalla%2C_Festival_Internacional_de_Cine_en_Guadalajara%2C_March_07%2C_2008-3.jpg/1280px-Gustavo_Santaolalla%2C_Festival_Internacional_de_Cine_en_Guadalajara%2C_March_07%2C_2008-3.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Guadalajara, Jalisco Marzo 7 de 2008 El Musico y productor Argentino Gustavo Santaolalla durante la rueda de prensa previa a su homenaje.](https://film.one/media/person/46631/gallery-7a749074fd1a.jpg) Guadalajara, Jalisco Marzo 7 de 2008 El Musico y productor Argentino Gustavo Santaolalla durante la rueda de prensa previa a su homenaje. — Jorge Barragan/Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Gustavo_Santaolalla%2C_Festival_Internacional_de_Cine_en_Guadalajara%2C_March_07%2C_2008-1.jpg/1280px-Gustavo_Santaolalla%2C_Festival_Internacional_de_Cine_en_Guadalajara%2C_March_07%2C_2008-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Gustavo Santaolalla, con Bajofondo; durante su presentación en el Festival de las Calaveras, Aguascalientes, Ags., México. (2013)](https://film.one/media/person/46631/gallery-8436ed1f2f4b.jpg) Gustavo Santaolalla, con Bajofondo; durante su presentación en el Festival de las Calaveras, Aguascalientes, Ags., México. (2013) — Luisalvaz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Gustavo_Santaolalla%2C_con_Bajofondo.JPG/1280px-Gustavo_Santaolalla%2C_con_Bajofondo.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Gustavo Santaolalla](https://film.one/media/person/46631/gallery-071a02bf550c.jpg) Gustavo Santaolalla — Image via TMDB
- ![Gustavo Santaolalla](https://film.one/media/person/46631/gallery-874e898af0dc.jpg) Gustavo Santaolalla — Image via TMDB
- ![Gustavo Santaolalla](https://film.one/media/person/46631/gallery-9260a4b49e8a.jpg) Gustavo Santaolalla — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 2 won

- 2007: Best Original Score (won), for *Babel*
- 2006: Best Original Score (won), for *Brokeback Mountain*

### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won

- 2005: Best Original Music (won), for *The Motorcycle Diaries*

### Golden Globes — 1 won

- 2006: Best Original Song (won), for *A Love That Will Never Grow Old*

### Other awards — 5 won

- Latin Grammy Trustees Award 2023: Latin Grammy Trustees Award (won)
- Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame 2015: Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame (won)
- Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year 2008: Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year (won), for *La Vida... Es Un Ratico*
- Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year 2005: Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year (won)
- Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year 2003: Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year (won), for *Un Día Normal*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/gustavo-santaolalla