Magdalena Tsanis
Madrid (EFE).- More nominees than ever for the best and most diverse vintage of Spanish cinema in recent years. The Goya 2023 return this Saturday to the Andalusia Auditorium in Seville, where it began its tour in 2019, after having passed through Malaga and Valencia in the last two editions.
These are the keys to the 37 Goya Awards, from the favorite films to the protocol against sexual violence that the Film Academy has adopted for the first time for its most important celebration of the year.
1.- «As Bestas» and «Modelo 77», the favorites
With 17 and 16 nominations respectively, Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s rural thriller and Alberto Rodríguez’s prisoner arrive as favorites. It is followed by “Alcarrás”, a luminous family and agrarian drama by Carla Simón, and “Cinco lobitos”, Alaúda Ruiz de Azúa’s first film about motherhood, both with 11 nominations.
2.- Five nominees per category
Fernando Méndez-Leite makes his debut at these Goyas as president, taking over from Mariano Barroso, with a great novelty: the nominees go from four to five in all categories -until now there were only five for best film- in response to the growth of Spanish cinema, in quantity and quality.
3.- Generational change and more women
It is the first time that there are more women than men directors in the best film category, three (Carla Simón, Pilar Palomero for “La maternal” and Ruiz de Azúa) compared to two (Sorogoyen and Rodríguez), and all of them born between 1971 and 1986.
The ratio, three to two, is repeated in the best new director: Ruiz de Azúa, Carlota Pereda (“Cerdita”), Elena López Riera (“El agua”), Juan Diego Botto (“On the margins”) and Mikel Gurrea ( “Sure”).
4.- Antonio de la Torre and Clara Lago, masters of ceremony
After last year’s experiment, in which there were no presenters as such, this year the Film Academy has recruited its most nominated actor, Antonio de la Torre (14 times, he won it twice) and the protagonist of the most box office winner of Spanish cinema (“Ocho apellidos vascos”), Clara Lago.
5.- Carlos Saura and Juliette Binoche, the honorary awards
Carlos Saura, the filmmaker who introduced modernity in late-Franco Spain, will receive the Goya de Honor at the age of 91 and with more than 50 titles behind him as acclaimed as “La cousin Angélica”, “Cría cuervos”, “Quick, quick » or «Oh Carmela».
The International Goya, which is awarded for the second consecutive year, will go to the French actress Juliette Binoche, for a four-decade career in which she has worked with directors such as Godard, Kieslowski, Haneke, Kiarostami, Cronenberg or the Spanish Isabel Coixet and who They have earned him from the Oscar to the Cannes, Berlin or Venice awards.
6.- The leading actors, veterans versus young people
On the veteran side, Luis Tosar (“En los margins”), winner of three Goyas and nominated nine times; Javier Gutiérrez (“Modelo 77”), who has two Goyas and six nominations; and the French Denis Ménochet (“As bestas”), one of the most recognized faces of French cinema who has also worked with directors such as Tarantino, Ridley Scott or Justin Kurzel.
The new batch of male performers is represented by Miguel Herrán (“Modelo 77”), who despite his youth -26 years old- already has a Goya for Best New Actor and Nacho Sánchez, nominated for the first time for his praised and risky work in “Manticore” by Carlos Vermut.
7.- Laia Costa, favorite for the Goya as Leading Actress
Among them the favorite is the Catalan Laia Costa, who has spent years working in national and international productions but has achieved her first nomination with “Cinco lobitos”.
He faces Anna Castillo (“Wild Sunflowers”), who already has a Goya and has four nominations in his career; another regular of the nominations and winner of a Goya, Bárbara Lennie (“The crooked lines of God”); Vicky Luengo (“Suro”) and the French Marina Foïs (“As bestas”).
8.- The Goya club
As always, the Goya can be broadcast on RTVE, but this year, in addition, to seek greater complicity from the viewer, the Film Academy has proposed an official Goya cheer (laporradelosgoya.com) that will be active until the winners are revealed. . The prize, to attend the Goya ceremony next year.
9.- Performances by Natalia Lafourcade and Pablo López
So far, the musical performances of Natalia Lafourcade, Pablo López and Israel Fernández have been announced. The production of the gala will be carried out by Gestmusic and will be directed by Tinet Rubira and Ángel Custodio.
10.- Protocol against sexual violence
After the two complaints of sexual assault at the party after the Feroz Awards, held on January 28 in Zaragoza, the Film Academy has drawn up a protocol to tackle possible similar situations at the Goyas, which also traditionally have their post-gala party .
A protocol was also applied in Zaragoza: the event’s security team intervened as soon as they learned of the incident, isolated the attackers and assisted the victims. In addition, he requested the presence of the Police immediately, who took charge of these complaints and the investigation.