Candidates Goya Awards 2024 were celebrated tonight in Madrid, a gathering that felt more like a reunion among friends than a formal ceremony. The competitive edge faded, replaced by a shared pride in Spain’s cinema, as a new era began to unfold with a sense of collaborative momentum.
“We’re living a moment of change,” noted Estíbaliz Urresola shortly before dinner, highlighting a generational shift and a surge of female voices shaping the discourse. The moment was buoyant, even as the conversation kept its eye on meaningful topics at hand.
If last year Urresola stood on the same red carpet as the director behind the short film Cuerdas, this year he arrives with his debut feature, 20,000 Species of Bees. The project stands as a prime example of a low-budget, intimate film grappling with a provocative subject.
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“Whether in themes, perspectives, sensibilities, or languages, our region is rich. The more texture there is on screens and in films, the more everyone benefits,” affirmed the Basque filmmaker, underscoring a broad, inclusive cinema landscape.
Onstage, JA Bayona presented Snow Society to Goya with 13 nominations. Bayona spoke about the challenges of making big-budget films in the United States, noting the extra effort and costs involved for a Spanish filmmaker operating across two continents.
“It costs me twice as much there because I’m Spanish and I’m the one making big-budget movies here. Here they treat me like I’m from another league, and when I go to the other league we enter through the back door.” Yet he added with characteristic candor, “I’m not complaining or wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I feel very lucky.”
Even so, the season’s opening award, Forqué, gave Urresola’s film a crucial early boost, warming up the Spanish Oscar conversation.
“I am so happy and grateful to bring this film to all corners of the world. I’m proud because it cost me a lot to make; I gave everything I had, and that brings me peace,” the Catalan filmmaker expressed.
190 participants
Film Academy President Fernando Méndez Leite welcomed 190 guests from a pool of 260 candidates present at the party, with many new faces among them. The attendance was a point of pride for the industry and its participants.
Regarding Laia Costa, the only candidate repeating last year’s nomination, the sentiment was that she “always works with respect.” The evening also paid tribute to actress Malena Alterio, winner of the Cinco lobotos award in 2023, described as a tremendous asset to the profession. Veteran Hugo Silva exuded excitement and gratitude for his first-time nomination, as did Manolo Solo, who entered the competition as lead actor for Cerrar los ojos, displaying visible pride in reaching this milestone.
David Trueba’s film, up for best picture, faced a fierce field alongside the poignant life-transformation narrative of Eugenio’s story. David Verdaguer and Carolina Yuste were nominated for best actor and actress respectively. Bayona’s commentary echoed a broader industry truth: at an industrial level, a country’s cinema needs collective conviction and sustained support.
“We mustn’t forget that these are nations that back their cinema with robust, healthy industries,” Trueba observed, joking that one of his projects was funded by the amount Bayona spent on catering for his own film. The lighthearted moment underscored a shared belief in a resilient national film sector.
Isabel Coixet, whose film competed for best picture with Un Amor, suggested that the next frontier for women directors is to secure confidence from producers for ambitious projects. “Our domain can boast two million candid films. If someone offered me Star Wars 18, I know how to do it. I’m not doing this out of defiance,” she explained with her characteristic pragmatism.
All but Urresola, nominated for best new director, remained in the running for best director. Elena Martín also pursued Creatura, though she could not attend in person. The cast nominations included Clàudia Malagelada (revelation), Clara Segura (cast), and Álex Brendemühl (cast). One veteran voice noted that awards rarely measure true talent, reminding the audience that a nomination does not guarantee quality on screen.
Excitement rose around the soundtrack, as Vetusta Morla and Rigoberta Baldini attended Florida Park, hoping their collaboration would broaden the appeal of cinema for younger audiences. The night also celebrated Maite Alberdi, and notable presence Hovic Keutchkerian, resplendent in white, who spoke warmly about Eternal Memory and shared merry anecdotes from behind the cameras.
The Goyas are set to be presented in Valladolid on February 10, a premiere hosted by directors and screenwriters Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi along with Ana Belén. While questions linger about Víctor Erice’s involvement, José Coronado summed up the mood: “Everything remains a mystery.”