José Luis Rugeles was born on October 3, 1968, in Bogota. He is a director and cinematographer with over 15 years of experience in creating commercials and music videos. In 1995, he founded Rhayuela Films with Jader Rangel and Óscar Navarro. This film and commercial production company produced his debut film García (2010), which starred Mexican actor Damián Alcázar and Colombian Margarita Rosa de Francisco.

His second feature, Alias María, was released in around ten territories around the world. Alias María was the opening film at the 55th Cartagena International Film Festival, screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, and won the Carmel Award for Best Film at Haifa International Film Festival.

His film, Rebellion (Rebelión, 2022)—a fictionalized exploration of Joe Arroyo’s creative journey—has received international acclaim, including the Gold Biznaga for Best Ibero‑American Film at Málaga and the Rebels with a Cause Award at Tallinn Black Nights Festival. This co-production was filmed during the challenges of Colombia’s protests and pandemic-era restrictions, notably in Bogotá, Cartagena, Medellín, New York, and European cities, often built as immersive hotel‑room sets to evoke artistic estrangement and creativity under pressure