'Pa Negre', shot entirely in Catalan, wins the Spanish Oscars

Madrid (ACN) .- The Catalan movie 'Pa Negre' (‘Black bread’) triumphed this week at the Spanish Oscar awards, the Goya Awards. It was nominated in 14 categories and succeeded in scooping 9 of these titles including best direction and best movie. The protagonists of the movie, Nora Navas, Laia Marull, Francesc Colomer and Marina Comas were all at the gala this week to collect the prestigious prizes. 'Pa Negre' deals with the dark years after the Spanish Civil War in Catalonia, talking about the dictatorship repression in a rural village, while a misterious crime is investigated. The documentary film 'Bicicleta, cullera, poma' (Bicycle, spoon, apple), picturing the former Catalan President Pasqual Maragall’s fight against Alzhemeir, won the best documentary award. The movie 'Chico y Rita' (The guy and Rita) won it for the best animation. The movie 'Buried' won 3 awards and the film 'Biutiful' picked up 1 for the best actor, Javier Bardem. 'Y también la lluvia' (The rain as well), a movie by Iciar Bollaín won 3 prizes, 1 more than the movie 'Balada triste de trompeta' (The sad trumpet Ballad), the night’s loser.

The Catalan movie 'Pa Negre' was already a big hit in the box office. However it was a big surprise that it was also a big success at the Goya Awards, as the film is shot entirely in Catalan. It won the award for the best movie, the best director (Augustí Villaronga) and the best adapted screenplay. The film adaptation of the Emili Teixidor’s novel was the star of the Goya awards this year. In the categories for best acting, 'Pa Negre' was awarded ‘best actress’ for Nora Navas, who also had won the 'Silver Shell' award at San Sebastian Film Festival. Laia Marull surpassed the other three nominees in the category of best supporting Actress, adding a third Goya award to her collection. The youngsters Francesc Colomer and Marina Comas that started their acting careers in 'Pa Negre' also succeeded in featuring in the categories of best new actor and actress. 'Pa Negre’ also won the award for the best director of photography that went to Antonio Riestra and the best art director for Ana Alvargonzález.

A magical night for Catalan cinema

'Pa Negre' was not the only Catalan production that won an award. The movie 'Buried', directed by Rodrigo Cortés and shot in English, picked up a number of awards too. It won the best original screenplay, an award that was granted to Chris Sparling. It also won an award for the best editing and best sound. The latter was given to Urko Garai, Marc Orts and James Muñoz.

The movie about the former Catalan President Pasqual Maragalls' fight against Alzheimer and about the plight of his family won a Goya award for the best documentary. The film directed by Carles Bosch and produced by the company Cromosoma topped the box office this year.

'Chico and Rita', a film by Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal about Cuban culture and music won an award for the best animated film. 'Lope', a movie directed by Andrucha Waddington, but produced by the Catalan Edmon Roch was awarded for best original song by Jorge Drexler, who composed 'Que el soneto nos tome por sorpresa'.

Javier Bardem gets his fifth Goya

The famous actor Javier Bardem won the Goya for Best Actor for his role in 'Biutiful', the latest film by the MexicanAlejandro González Iñárritu. Bardem had already received a Goya award for his role in 'Mar Adrencro', by Alejandro Amenábar. For his role in 'Biutiful' Javier Bardem could also win the Oscar for best actor at the ceremony on 27 February of this year.

Alex de la Iglesia and Icíar Bollaín have to settle for just a few awards

The film that had had the most disappointments in this 25th edition of the Goya Awards was 'Balada triste de trompeta'. Although it started as a favourite with 15 nominations, in the end, it only collected 2 awards, 1 in the makeup category for Jose Quetglas, Pedro Rodriguez and Nieves Sanchez, and 1 for the best special effects for Reyes Abades and Ferran Piqué.

'Y también la lluvia' by Icíar Bollaín won the award for best production (Cristina Zumárraga), best original music (Alberto Iglesias) and best supporting actor (Karra Elejalde).

More awards

‘The King’s Speech’ by Tom Hooper was awarded the prize for the best European film. On the same night it triumphed at the Bafta awards. Meanwhile, 'La vida de los peces' by Matias Bize won the prize for the best Latin American film.

'Una caja de botones' by Maria Reyes won the prize for best short fiction, while 'Memorias de un cine de Provincias' by Ramón Margareto won the short documentary category. 'La Bruixa' by Pedro Solis won the award for best short animation.

Last gala under the chairmanship of Alex de la Iglesia

The Spanish Academy of Cinema bid farewell to the outgoing chairman Alex de la Iglesia during the gala on Sunday. During his speech, he defended his interpretation of the Internet, calling it “the present and future” and therefore, requested to change the way of looking at the market. De la Iglesia talked about how Internet users were potential viewers and not to fear them. He encouraged directors not to fear them, but rather to embrace them as “internet is our salvation”, he said.

De la Iglesia described his two years in charge of the academy as the happiest of his life, and explained that he had learned to see problems from many different viewpoints.

Mario Camus, Goya Honorory Award

The writer-director Mario Camus received the Goya of Honour from Ana Belen. The Goya of Honour is an award that recognises a certain person’s dedication to the world of Spanish cinema. Camus thanked the support of his colleagues and above all stressed the importance of actors and actresses in the film world as they are the ones that in his words “give life and credibility to the stories that are created”.