Arts
'As bestas' and 'Modelo 77' top the nominations for the Goya Awards
In its 37th edition, on February 11
'As bestas' by Rodrigo Sorogoyen
According to the president of the Spanish Film Academy, Fernando Méndez-Leite, this edition of the Goyas “is going to be full of intrigue. This year we are going to have suspense films more than ever,” he said, after recalling that it is the first time that five final nominations in each category will be voted on.
Preceded by a great success with the public and critics, 'As bestas' will compete for 17 awards, including best film, direction, screenplay, actress and leading actor (Marina Foïs and Denis Menochet, respectively), and supporting actor and actress (Luis Zahera, Diego Anido and Marie Colomb). Winner of the Goya 2019 for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay -shared with Isabel Peña-, for 'El reino', and for Best Fiction Short Film in 2018 for 'Madre', Sorogoyen highlighted that the awards have not changed their professional career. "If anything, I have more gray hair and dark circles, but I continue with the same people and that for me is an honor," he said. On the new focus of Spanish cinema for the rural, the screenwriter Isabel Peña acknowledged that "there is something in the rural that is more interesting to us than ten years ago and it may have to do with the pandemic, with the weariness of the urban."
With 16 nominations is 'Modelo 77', by Alberto Rodríguez, who is also the author of the script together with Rafael Cobos. This prison drama from the 70s based on real events will compete, among others, for the Goya for best film, direction, screenplay, leading actor (Miguel Herrán and Javier Gutiérrez) and cast (Fernando Tejero). "Honestly, I didn't think we were going to have so many nominations," said Rodríguez, who already won the Goya for Best Director and Original Screenplay in 2014 with 'La isla mínima' and in 2016 for Best Adapted Screenplay for 'The Man with a Thousand Faces'.
After 'As bestas' and 'Modelo 77', come 'Alcarrás' and 'Cinco lobitos', with 11 nominations each. Golden Bear at the last Berlin Festival and chosen by the Film Academy to represent Spain in the Oscar race, 'Alcarrás', directed by Carla Simón, will compete, among others, in the categories of best film, direction, and revelation actor (Jordi Pujol Dolcet and Albert Bosch). From the United States, where she was promoting the film, Carla Simón expressed her joy at the nominations and congratulated her entire team because "it has been a collective work" carried out with non-professional actors. Regarding the promotional campaign that she is carrying out in the United States, Simón acknowledged that she has been surprised by the reception of 'Alcarràs' on that side of the Atlantic. “I thought that the subject would be far away, but I have seen that the reactions are quite similar. You realize that human beings are quite similar and that we get the same things.”
'Cinco lobitos', the first film by Alauda Ruiz Azua, who also wrote the script, was screened in the Panorama section of the Berlinale and won the Biznaga de Oro for best film at the last edition of the Malaga Festival. Now she aspires, among others, to the Goya for Best Film, New Director, Original Screenplay, Leading Actress (Laia Costa), Supporting Actor and Actress (Ramón Barea and Susi Sanchez, respectively), and Newcomer (Mikel Bustamente).
'Cerdita', by Carlota Pereda, and 'Los renglones torcidos de Dios', by Oriol Paulo, have been nominated for six awards each. Pereda will compete for the award for Best New Director and its protagonist, Laura Galán, for Best New Actress. “I am very excited because this is my first leading role in the cinema, I am very new to these parts,” explained the actress, who added that “the Goyas are an incredible speaker to give visibility to the film and the nominations the best icing on a Project."
'On the margins', the debut feature by actor Juan Diego Botto, will compete for five awards, including best leading actor (Luis Tosar), supporting actress (Penélope Cruz) and new director. A similar number of nominations has been received by 'Irati', by Paul Urkijo, and one less by 'Mantícora', by Carlos Vermut, whose protagonist, Nacho Sánchez, is up for the Goya for Best Leading Actor. With three nominations is 'La maternal', including Best Film, Direction and Supporting Actress for Ángela Cervantes.
Liability for this article lies with the author, who also holds the copyright. Editorial content from USPA may be quoted on other websites as long as the quote comprises no more than 5% of the entire text, is marked as such and the source is named (via hyperlink).
