The countdown has begun for the 37th Goya Awards, the annual ceremony presented by the Film Academy to honor outstanding professionals in the season, specifically recognizing films released between January 1, 2022 and December 31 of the previous year.
But who is part of the Film Academy?
The Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a non profit association made up of professionals dedicated to the various facets of cinema creativity. It is currently led by President Fernando Mendez-Leite, with a management team that includes Rafael Portela and Susi Sánchez, who took the reins from Mariano Barroso in June 2022 and supported his candidacy in the internal elections. There are also two members for each category to ensure broad representation within the membership.
Today the academy includes more than 2,100 academics, roughly 1,300 men and 700 women. It distinguishes between numeric members, those who certify work on one or two films by category, and associate members. Either path requires applying through a membership form, but becoming an associate or partner involves additional validation: three board members must support the nomination for access, making admission relatively selective. A digital member pays an initial fee of 120 euros and a quarterly fee of 60 euros, while an affiliate pays 60 euros upfront and 30 euros every three months.
Who can vote?
Numerical, supernumerary, and honorary members with more than six months of seniority may vote for nominees in best picture, best animated feature, best documentary, best European film, best Ibero-American film, best animated short, best documentary short, and other categories. Associate members require six months of experience, which means some categories like acting, directing, screenwriting, and other technical departments are exempt from voting.
What will the voting system be like?
Votes are confidential and subject to verification. The academy runs both postal and online voting systems. Each eligible voter may cast a vote by one method only; voting by both mail and online is invalid. Ballots and envelopes must conform to academy procedures to be valid, while any other method is rejected. Ballots are anonymous and password protected to prevent duplication or tampering. A voter’s identity cannot be revealed, whether the winner is Bardem, León de Aranoa, or any other filmmaker. Results remain strictly confidential until the premiere, and neither the Board of Directors nor the Presidency knows the final outcome until announced.
Voting stages
Voting unfolds in two rounds: the first stage identifies nominees across each category, and the second selects the winners. Participation in all categories is not obligatory. The first round uses a mixed system: two of the four nominees in each specialty are chosen by all academics, while the other two are selected by members within the specialty.
A curious feature of the mixed system is this: if the top two by the general academic vote and the top two by the specialty vote do not overlap, all four nominees are chosen with two by the specialty and two by all academics. If the top two across all academics coincide with one of the two from the specialty, the notary may add a third and a fourth nominee from the overall academic results to complete the quartet. In other cases, the exact four are determined by the same process, ensuring balanced consideration across groups.
For actors, a performer can be nominated in more than one category, but the best actor and the best new actress categories are not compatible with other categories. If a person is named in multiple films within the same category, the nomination is limited to the film with the highest vote total agreed by the notary, and the alternate nomination is adjusted accordingly.
How was the academy renewed?
There was a time when the industry was wary of stasis and outdated practices, and many successful films came from veteran filmmakers while younger voices felt sidelined. Change began to take shape after 2014 and 2015 as new generations actively sought greater roles within the rewards system that recognizes a growing, diverse cinema. Independent productions like The Bride, directed by Paula Ortiz, signaled a shift and encouraged more professionals from varied backgrounds to seek admission to the Academy. Since then, a broader spectrum of voices has contributed to renewal, balancing traditional strength with fresh perspectives.
The renewal continues with a sustained influx of new talent, expanding representation across the board. Notably, the industry’s oldest active director cited in this context is Alberto Rodriguez at 51, while the youngest is Carla Simón at 36, illustrating a wider generational spread that marks the contemporary Academy landscape. [Note: This passage summarizes publicly discussed industry trends and leadership changes.]