Spanish Film Academy awards: Goyas 2013

A few weeks ago we spoke about different “lotteries” that were being done in relation to the Spanish Film Academy awards.  We also mentioned some of the favorites to win the bronze Francisco de Goya bust statuette, modeled after an original sculture by José Luis Fernández often referred to in the film industry as “el cabezón”  (the big head).

The 2013 Goya Award Ceremony

Very well, anyways… On Sunday night the 2013 Goya award ceremony was broadcasted on public television.

It is important to remember that the voting is closed, meaning that only members of the Spanish Film Academy have the right to vote. There is no option for the general public to express their opinions or preferences by voting, as they can in some film festivals that feature the “Audience Award”.  This is an important award because often the views of general audiences do not coincide with the opinions of the Film Academy members.

On this occasion however, the Academy and the public did seem to coincide, although there were some small differences of opinion. We’ve already mentioned J.A. Bayona’s film "The Impossible", a box office sensation and Spanish film phenomenon for which Naomi Watts lead performance may still earn her an Oscar for best actress. Bayona picked up the Goya award for best director and his move earned four more “big heads”; even if they were all technical awards: best editing, production, sound and, of course, special effects. 

This year’s Goya Awards had a clear winner that followed the trend of one of last year’s Oscar winners: The Artist. It is a silent movie with a majestic soundtrack.  One song in particular, “No te  puedo encontrar” (I can’t find you) will give you goose bumps. This black and white movie won this year’s “Best Picture” award.  It is a fairytale set in Andalusia’s flamenco and bullfighting scenery that deserved the best script award.  The movie is called “Blancanieves” (Snow White) and is a great example of creativity and elegance. The movie took away the most important awards including: best movie, original music, best actress and casting, best art direction, best make-up and costume design… a whole sack of Goya heads with 10 in total!

Occasionally, academy members hit the nail on the head with awards, and that was what happened with Jose Sacristan, one of the best actors in Spanish cinema of the last forty years. He starred in “El muerto y ser feliz”, (The Dead and be Happy), a marvelous fantasies that earnt him his much deserved first Goya award.  

Spanish animation also received much needed recognition from the Goya Awards for the best new director award. The award went to Enrique Gato for “Las aventuras de Tadeo Jones” (The Adventures of Tadeo Jones), which also won best adapted screenplay and best animated film.

For a long time, they have been talking about the crisis in the Spanish film industry, but it doesn’t seem like it’s really a big deal. Spaniards continue watching films. Films need to be good to continue attracting the public.

Is there a better or more interesting to immerse yourself in a language than by experiencing the magic of film? It’s a good moment to find the closest theatre where one of these films is playing, or any other film with fewer awards, and allow yourself to get lost in the magic of this “seventh art”.