‘A Monster Calls’ wins eight Gaudí Awards

Barcelona (CNA).- The Catalan Film Academy recognises every year at the Gaudí Awards the best films, artists and technicians from the Catalan cinematography industry. At the 2017 Gala, the absolute winner of the night was world-renowned director J.A. Bayona, who won eight statuettes for his movie ‘A Monster Calls’. The film, which was nominated for eleven prizes, was ultimately awarded Best Film in non-Catalan language, Best Director, Best Production Management, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction and Best Sound.

This is the second time that Bayona wins the Best Director Gaudí Award, after the Catalan Academy recognised his work for the movie ‘The Impossible’ (2013). His latest work, ‘A Monster Calls’, is based on the novel of the same title by Patrick Ness. With Sigourney Weaver and Felicity Jones in the cast, the movie explains the story of Conor, a 13-year-old boy that tries to face his mum’s illness with the help of a monster. Every night Conor lives an adventure that helps him to forget about his own fears until he is capable of facing them. The movie is the third work by Bayona in a trilogy that explores the relationship between mother and son.  

‘La Propera Pell’ (in English, ‘The Next Skin’), directed by Isaki Lacuesta and Isa Campo, won three Gaudí Awards, including Best Movie, Best Leading Actress for Emma Suárez and Best Screenplay. This thriller explains the story of a boy that comes back home after having been missing for eight years. Mystery and drama appear when his family circle starts to doubt whether or not he is the person he claims to be. In the cast, Emma Suárez, Sergi López, Alex Monner and Bruno Todeschini. The Best Leading Actor Award was for Eduard Fernández for his role in ‘El hombre de las mil caras’ (‘The Man with a thousand faces). 

The last film by Albert Serra, ‘La mort de Louis XIV’ (‘The death of Louis XIV’), was nominated for seven Gaudí Awards but won two: Best Costume Design and Best Make-Up and Hairstyles. The musical ‘Cerca de tu casa’ (‘Near your House’) won the Best Original Music Award for the songs by Silvia Pérez Cruz.

The Best Documentary Award went to ‘Alcaldessa’ (Mayor), by Pau Faus, which focuses on the political career of current Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau. The Best Short Movie prize went to ‘Timecode’ by Juanjo Giménez. The short-film has also been nominated for the Oscars. The Best European Film Award went to ‘Elle’, a German, French and Belgian production by Paul Verhoeven. ‘Ebre, del bressol a la batalla’, by Roman Parrado, won the Best TV-Movie Award and ‘Ozzy’, by Alberto Rodríguez and Nacho La Casa, the Best Animated Movie Award.