Spanish director's nostalgic portrayal of NYC in the 1980s

"I am the dog (the protagonist). He is my alter ego. A lot of the things that he does in the film, I did when I lived in New York," he adds.

A native of Bilbao in northern Spain, Berger showcased his talent in his directorial debut Mama, a short film, in 1988. The work enabled him to earn a scholarship to pursue a master's degree in film at New York University. Since then, he has lived in the city for 10 years.

Embarking on a cinematic journey in the following decades, the distinctively styled director, who has written all of the scripts for his directorial efforts, has created a string of acclaimed features, including the comedy Torremolinos 73(2003) and the black-and-white silent film Blancanieves (2012), a twist on Snow White.