Born in 1941, Puerto Montt, Chile. He studied Law and Theology. While studying, Ruiz wrote numerous plays and television scripts. After the 1973 coup in Chile, he moved to France, where he made the majority of his more than 120 films for cinema and television. Several of RUIZ´s films have been shown and awarded at the most important international festivals, such as Cannes, Berlinale, Locarno and San Sebastian. He died in Paris in 2011.