Forecasts proved accurate as the twenty-seventh Festival de Málaga crowned its Biznagas across the Official Selection in competition. The highly praised Second Prize led the way by taking Best Spanish Film, along with Best Director, while the Mexican film Radical, a moving portrait based on a real story of a reform-minded teacher in a poverty-stricken and crime-haunted village, earned the Best Ibero-American Film award.
The Golden Biznaga stands as a strong endorsement for a production as challenging as Second Prize. A day before the shoot commenced, Isaki Lacuesta’s daughter and screenwriter Isa Campo was diagnosed with leukemia, and the filming was overseen from the hospital as she accompanied her daughter; Luna passed away months later.
Meanwhile, one of the critics and audience favorites, La casa, adapted from Paco Roca’s graphic novel, barely touched the Biznagas aside from the Audience Award, Best Screenplay, and Best Music. On the other hand, Andrea Jaurrieta’s Nina could not avoid the Special Critics Jury Award. The Sevillan Celia Rico also earned attention with Los pequeños amores, whose intimate, simple, revealing storytelling earned Best Supporting Actress for Adriana Ozores and a Special Jury Prize for cinephiles.
By the way, speaking of cinephilia, Yana-Wara, the Peruvian feature, delivered a bold and extraordinary entry in Málaga’s competition, though it did not secure a special mention from the jury in this edition.
Surprises
There were shocking moments, especially in the acting categories. Luis Zahera earned a Best Leading Actor nod for his radical shift in Pájaros, while the Argentine Joaquin Furriel took honor for his lead role in Resting in Peace, sharing the laurels for Best Actor. Gabriel Goity, who appears in Sebastián Borensztein’s Argentine film, was named Best Supporting Actor. On the women’s side, Lola Amores won Best Leading Actress for her powerful debut in La mujer salvaje, a stark and everyday tale about violence against women; Adriana Ozores, for Los amores pequeños, earned Best Supporting Actress.
The film La hojarasca from Canary Island director Macu Machín took the Biznaga de Plata for Best Spanish Film in the ZonaZine section of the 27th Málaga Festival, while the Argentina-Spain coproduction Los tonos mayores by Ingrid Pokropek was chosen as Best Ibero-American Film. The documentary Salvaxe, salvaxe by Ourense-born director Emilio Fonseca earned the Biznaga de Plata for Best Documentary.
Collectively, these results reflect a Málaga that continues to champion intimate storytelling, bold directorial choices, and cross-border collaboration in contemporary Spanish-language cinema. The festival remains a platform where regional voices can meet universal themes, drawing attention from cinephiles and industry insiders alike.