Spanish drama As Bestas, known internationally as Monsters and released in 2022, earned Rodrigo Sorogoyen a top honor from the Belgian Film Press Association. The UPCB Grand Prix crowned the film as the best feature of the year, signaling strong international interest in Sorogoyen’s tense storytelling style and his sharp eye for social tension.
The film’s staging drew particular praise for its gripping intensity and its unflinching portrayal of brutal moments alongside intimate acts of mercy. Moustique, a magazine noted by many French- and Dutch-speaking critics, highlighted the director’s ability to combine raw aggression with humane, humane restraint, underscoring how the movie reinforces the enduring strength of European cinema in today’s landscape.
Soronogoyen’s achievement came after a competitive evening in which the award went to a film that had surpassed several strong contenders. The ceremony confirmed the project’s momentum in the wake of other acclaimed features, including titles that had previously swept or shaped the awards circuit. As Bestas stood out by weaving a potent narrative set against the backdrop of regional conflict and moral ambiguity, it marked Sorogoyen’s continued influence on contemporary European filmmaking.
In its 37th edition, the awards featured seventeen nominees, each bringing distinctive voices and cinematic sensibilities to the foreground. The conversation around the Goya Awards intensified that weekend, with audiences drawn to films set in remote locales and driven by character-driven suspense. The Galicia setting anchors the story, illustrating the friction between a local resident and a French couple who move there to start a farm, a plot point that sharpens the tension and invites viewers to question loyalty, belonging, and the consequences of outsiders in a small community.
As Bestas faced a global lineup, it competed with a diverse roster of auteurs. The film shared space with acclaimed international works, including a sprawling American production about wonder and chaos, and a Korean thriller exploring desire and consequence. Other entries featured bold, idiosyncratic visions from European and American cinema alike, reflecting a season rich with risk-taking and ambitious storytelling that pushed audiences to engage with difficult themes.
The Humanum Award, a category dedicated to films that advocate for harmonious, inclusive cohabitation among diverse communities, went to Thierry Michel for L’Empire du Silence. The Belgian documentary confronts the silence surrounding civilian killings in the Democratic Republic of Congo, urging a global audience to bear witness and respond. In addition, Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary Flee, which chronicles Afghanistan, refugees, and the complexities of sexuality, received recognition for its intimate approach to heavy historical and social issues, underscoring the festival’s commitment to empathy and truth in filmmaking.