12/02/2024 - The hit Netflix film, directed by JA Bayona, is the big winner at the 38th Spanish Film Academy awards ceremony

The new drama about the Andes air disaster Society of the Snow [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: JA Bayona
film profile] has been nominated for the upcoming Oscars in two categories: Best Make-up and Hairstyling and Best International Film. In recent months it has been one of the most watched films on the Netflix platform, won two European Film Awards (for its special effects and make-up and hairstyling), and last Saturday took home no less than twelve Goya Awards (out of the thirteen it was nominated for). These include Best Film, Director (Juan Antonio Bayona, who already won in these categories twice before, for A Monster Calls [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Juan Antonio Bayona
film profile] and The Impossible [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Juan Antonio Bayona
film profile], after winning Best New Director for The Orphanage [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Special Effects, Production Supervision, Editing, Sound and Newcomer for the Argentinian Matías Recalt.

As well as the success of this 60 million euro blockbuster, in acting the actress Malena Alterio (a favourite in all the pools for her work in the leading role of Something Is About to Happen [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antonio Méndez Esparza
film profile]), David Verdaguer (another unsurprising award, Best Leading Actor, after impressing us with his reincarnation of the comedian Eugenio in Jokes & Cigarettes), Ane Gabarain (magnificent and sensitive as a supporting actor in 20,000 Species of Bees [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Estíbaliz Urresola
film profile]) and José Coronado (another magnetic presence in Close Your Eyes [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], the film by the master Víctor Erice that would have deserved more recognition, as it had eleven nominations). Janet Novás won a well-deserved Goya for her stunning debut in The Rye Horn [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jaione Camborda
film profile].

Aside from JA Bayona’s film, the other two films that attracted the most attention were Pablo Berger’s Robot Dreams [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which won the Goya for Best Animated Film (also an Oscar nominee and won the European Film Award in the same category) and Adapted Screenplay, and 20,000 Species of Bees, which won Best New Director and Original Screenplay, both by Estíbaliz Urresola.

There were also no surprises in the categories for Best European Film, which went to the globally acclaimed Anatomy of a Fall [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Justine Triet
film profile], by French director Justine Triet, and Best Ibero-American Film, for La memoria infinita, by Chilean director Maite Alberdi. Another title that also addresses, like the latter, the ravages of Alzheimer's While You're Still You [+see also:
film review
film profile], by Claudia Pinto, received the Goya for Best Documentary.

This 38th awards ceremony, held on Saturday 10 February in Valladolid, took place during a rather long ceremony that paid tribute to the 25th anniversary of Pedro Almodóvar's All About My Mother, with the filmmaker and his actresses presenting the most coveted award of the evening. The International Goya was also presented to the American actress Sigourney Weaver, presented by the actress and singer Ana Belén and the filmmakers Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, directors of the popular Spanish series of the moment, La Mesías [+see also:
series review
trailer
series profile].

The award winners:

Best Film
Society of the Snow [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: JA Bayona
film profile] – Juan Antonio Bayona (Spain/USA)

Best Director
Juan Antonio Bayona – Society of the Snow

Best New Director
Estíbaliz Urresola – 20,000 Species of Bees [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Estíbaliz Urresola
film profile]

Best Leading Actress
Malena Alterio – Something Is About to Happen [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antonio Méndez Esparza
film profile] (Spain/Romania)

Best Leading Actor
David Verdaguer – Jokes & Cigarettes

Best Supporting Actress
Ane Gabarain – 20,000 Species of Bees

Best Supporting Actor
José Coronado – Close Your Eyes [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Spain/Argentina)

Best New Actress
Janet Novás – The Rye Horn [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jaione Camborda
film profile] (Spain/Portugal/Belgium)

Best New Actor
Matías Recalt – Society of the Snow

Best Original Screenplay
Estíbaliz Urresola – 20,000 Species of Bees

Best Adapted Screenplay
Pablo Berger – Robot Dreams [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Spain/France)

Best Documentary Film
While You're Still You [+see also:
film review
film profile] – Claudia Pinto

Best Animated Film
Robot Dreams – Pablo Berger

Best Cinematography
Pedro Luque – Society of the Snow

Best Editing
Andrés Gil and Jaume Martí – Society of the Snow

Best Production Supervision
Margarita Hugue – Society of the Snow

Best Art Direction
Alain Bainée – Society of the Snow

Best Costume Design
Julio Suárez – Society of the Snow

Best Make-up and Hairstyling
Ana López-Puigcerver, Belén López-Puigcerver and Montse Ribé –  Society of the Snow

Best Special Effects
Pau Costa, Félix Bergés and Laura Pedro – Society of the Snow

Best Sound
Jorge Adrados, Oriol Tarra and Marc Orts – Society of the Snow

Best Original Music
Michael Giacchino – Society of the Snow

Best Original Song
Yo solo quiero amor– Rigoberta Bandini (Love and Revolution [+see also:
trailer
film profile])

Best Fiction Short Film
Aunque es de noche - Guillermo García López

Best Short Documentary Film
Ava – Mabel Lozano

Best Animated Short Film
To Bird or Not to Bird - Martín Romero

Best European Film
Anatomy of a Fall [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Justine Triet
film profile] - Justine Triet (France)

Best Ibero-American film
La memoria infinita – Maite Alberdi (Chile)

Honorary Goya
Juan Mariné

International Goya
Sigourney Weaver

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)