28/03/2022 - The feature debut by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa has gone home with a batch of major prizes after an awards ceremony where Alejandro Loayza’s French-Bolivian-Uruguayan production Utama also excelled

On Saturday night, the 25th Málaga Film Festival handed out its awards in the snazzy surroundings of the Cervantes Theatre, giving out a Golden Biznaga for Best Spanish Film and another for Best Latin American Film. In the former category, Lullaby [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
film profile], an intimate family drama by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, triumphed after having first being presented at the most recent Berlinale. It also picked up the Award for Best Screenplay (penned by the director herself) and the Best Actress gong, for both Susi Sánchez and Laia Costa. The other Golden Biznaga, for Best Latin American Film, was bestowed upon Utama [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alejandro Loayza
film profile] (France/Bolivia/Uruguay), the breathtaking and beautiful feature debut by Alejandro Loayza, who was also deemed deserving of the Best Director Award and saw his soundtrack rewarded to boot.

The Silver Biznaga Special Jury Prize – the jury for which comprised filmmaker Manuel Martín Cuenca (The Daughter [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), actresses Marta Nieto (Out of Sync [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Juanjo Giménez
film profile]) and Cecilia Suárez (The Passenger [+see also:
trailer
interview: Raúl Cerezo and Fernando Go…
film profile]), Spanish author Javier Cercas and Peruvian teacher Marco Mühletaler – ended up going to My Emptiness and I [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adrián Silvestre
film profile], a film by Valencian native Adrián Silvestre, which took part in the most recent IFFR. Another filmmaker from eastern Spain, Beatriz Sanchís, scooped a Special Mention for The Gigantes, a film produced by the USA and Mexico, which was also noticed for its cinematography.

Right from the moment Wandering Heart (Argentina/Brazil/Chile/Netherlands), the second feature by Leonardo Brzezicki, was shown at the festival, it was patently obvious that it would be highly unlikely for anyone to be able to outperform Leonardo Sbaraglia and his heartrending portrait of its main character, a man constantly on the verge of the abyss, desperately searching for the love that is mentioned in the movie’s Spanish title. As expected, the Argentinian actor thus won the Silver Biznaga for Best Actor after a landslide victory.

Other awards went to the Chilean film Mensajes privados (Best Editing and Best Supporting Actor, for Rodrigo Saquel) and Brazil’s La madre (Best Supporting Actress, for Debora María da Silva). Furthermore, Lullaby won the Audience Award and Utama picked up the Silver Biznaga – Special Prize of the Critics’ Jury, made up of Chusa López, Juan Pando and the author of this article.

Standing out in the Zonazine section was Lugares a los que nunca hemos ido [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Roberto Pérez Toledo, who passed away recently, crowned Best Spanish Film, and Mostro, helmed by Mexico’s José Pablo Escamilla, which made off with Best Latin American Film. Libélulas [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the feature-length directorial debut by Luc Knowles after he successfully forged an extensive career in the worlds of advertising and music videos, also received two gongs: the Audience Award and the Best Actress Award for his two leads, the highly dedicated Milena Smit and Olivia Baglivi. Meritxell Colell was rewarded for her directing skills on Dúo, and actors Sergio Torrico and Pepe Ocio were acknowledged for their work on Lugares a los que nunca hemos ido.

Finally, in the MAFIZ industry sidebar (read the news), the Málaga Film Festival – WIP Spain Award was presented to To Book and Women I Sing [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: María Elorza and Marian Fer…
film profile] by María Elorza, while the Málaga Film Festival Award – WIP Latin America went to Nada by Adriano Guimaraes (Brazil). The remaining industry prizes (such as those in the MAFF co-production strand – see the news) follow after the main awards list below.

Here is the full list of winners at the 25^th Málaga Film Festival:

Competition

Golden Biznaga for Best Spanish Film
Lullaby [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
film profile] – Alauda Ruiz de Azúa (Spain)

Golden Biznaga for Best Latin American Film
Utama [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alejandro Loayza
film profile] – Alejandro Loayza Grisi (Bolivia/Uruguay/France)

Special Mention of the Jury
The Gigantes – Beatriz Sanchís (Mexico/USA)

Silver Biznaga – Special Jury Prize
My Emptiness and I [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adrián Silvestre
film profile] – Adrián Silvestre (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Director
Alejandro Loayza – Utama

Silver Biznaga for Best Actress
Susi Sánchez and Laia Costa – Lullaby

Vibuk Silver Biznaga for Best Actor
Leonardo Sbaraglia – Wandering Heart (Argentina/Brazil/Chile/Netherlands)

Silver Biznaga for Best Supporting Actress
Debora María da Silva – La madre (Brazil)

Silver Biznaga for Best Supporting Actor
Nicolás Poblete – Mensajes privados (Chile)

Silver Biznaga for Best Screenplay
Alauda Ruiz de Azúa – Lullaby

Silver Biznaga for Best Score
Cergio Prudencio – Utama

Silver Biznaga for Best Cinematography
Nicolás Wong Díaz – The Gigantes

Silver Biznaga for Best Editing
Rodrigo Saquel – Mensajes privados

Silver Biznaga – Special Prize of the Critics’ Jury
Utama – Alejandro Loayza

Audience Award
Lullaby – Alauda Ruiz de Azúa

Zonazine

Silver Biznaga for Best Spanish Film
Lugares a los que nunca hemos ido [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – Roberto Pérez Toledo (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Latin American Film
Mostro – José Pablo Escamilla (Mexico)

Silver Biznaga for Best Director
Meritxell Colell - Dúo (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Actress
Milena Smit and Olivia Baglivi – Libélulas [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Actor
Sergio Torrico and Pepe Ocio – Lugares a los que nunca hemos ido

Silver Biznaga – Audience Award
Libélulas – Luc Knowles

Documentary Competition

Silver Biznaga for Best Documentary
El silencio del topo - Anaïs Taracena (Guatemala)

Silver Biznaga for Best Director
Irene M Borrego – The Visit and a Secret Garden [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Spain/Portugal)
Victoria Pena – Delia (Uruguay/Argentina)

Special Mention of the Jury
Memoria sufocada – Gabriel Di Giacomo (Brazil)

Silver Biznaga – Audience Award
The Visit and a Secret Garden – Irene M Borrego

Short Films Competition

Silver Biznaga for Best Short Fiction Film
Rompente - Eloy Domínguez Serén

Silver Biznaga for Best Director
Rafael Martínez - Crudo

Silver Biznaga de Plata for Best Actress
Anna Caponnetto - Harta
Special Mention
Verónica Andrés - Pura sangre

Silver Biznaga de Plata for Best Actor
Julián Villagrán - Harta
Special Mention
Emilio Pacheco y Jaime Crespo - La perrera

Silver Biznaga Audience Award
Harta - Julia de Paz

Silver Biznaga for Best Short Documentary Film
Victoria - Eloisa Díez
Special Mention
Fe - Maider Fernández

Silver Biznaga Audience Award for Short Documentary Film
Todos los días domingos - Alberto Dexeus
Special Mention
Un viento roza tu puerta - Jorge Castrillo y Pablo Paloma
El día que volaron la montaña - Alba Bresolí

Silver Biznaga for Best Animazine Short Film
Loop - Pablo Polledri

Silver Biznaga Audience Award for Animazine Short Film
Loop - Pablo Polledri

Silver Biznaga for Best Short Fiction Film Málaga Section
Masaru - Rubén Navarro

Silver Biznaga for Best Short Documentary, Animation or Experimental Film Málaga Section
Romeo - Sara G. Cortijo

Silver Biznaga Audience Award for Málaga Section Short Film
Imbécil - Roberto Cano

MAFIZ Málaga Festival Industry Zone

Málaga Work in Progress (WIP)

Málaga Film Festival Award – WIP Spain
To Book and Women I Sing [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: María Elorza and Marian Fer…
film profile] - María Elorza

Málaga Film Festival Award – WIP Latin America
Nada / Nothing (working title) - Adriano Guimaraes (Brazil)

Aracne Digital Cinema Award. Post-production and final copy
Sica [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Carla Subirana (Spain)

Damita Joe. National Distribution Award
Agua salá / Salt wáter - Steven Morales Pineda (Colombia)

Latamcinema.com (full-page advert in the LatAm Cinema magazine)
Nada / Nothing (working title) - Adriano Guimaraes

Music Library Award – WIP Spain
Ramona / Ramona - Andrea Bagney

Music Library Award – WIP Latin America
El filo de las tijeras - David Marcial Valverdi (Argentina)

Yagán Films Award. Sound post-production
Agua salá - Steven Morales Pineda

Cine y Tele Award. Full-page advert in the magazine
Ramona - Andrea Bagney

SanFic Award. Participation in the industry lab
Tierra de nuestras madres - Liv Lobato (Spain)

REC Award. Participation in the industry lab
Sica - Carla Subirana

FIDBA Award. Participation in the industry lab
To Book and Women I Sing - María Elorza

Abycine Award. Participation in the industry lab
Sica - Carla Subirana

Málaga Festival Fund Co-production Event (MAFF)

Bolivia Lab Award. Participation in the industry lab
Ciudades vacías / Great Art Will Be Destroyed - Fernando Fonseca Espinoza (Costa Rica)

Cinema 226 Award. Consultancy on screenplay, funding, casting and editing of a teaser
Marte al Anochecer - Edgar Noé Sajcabún (Guatemala/Panama)
Mar rojo - Javier Tolentino (Spain)

SANFIC Award. Participation in the production tutorials
Diamante - Yashira Jordán (Bolivia/Argentina)

DOK Leipzig Award. Participation in the co-production forum
El espacio es un animal monstruoso - Natalia Solórzano Vásquez (Costa Rica)

ECAM – La incubadora Award
Adiós a satán - José Pablo Escamilla (Mexico)

Music Library Award
Juliette y Camille - Paloma Zapata (Spain)
Kaye - Juan Cáceres (Chile/France)
Antonia - Toñi Martín Zorrilla (Spain)

(Translated from Spanish)