The Platinum Awards in Madrid crowned Argentina, 1985 by Santiago Mitre and the Colombian drama News of a Kidnapping by Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García as the standout winners this Saturday.
Argentina, 1985, a film centered on the pursuit of accountability for the dictatorship in Argentina, earned the Best Ibero-American Fiction Film award in a year that highlighted a range of achievements. It also secured recognition for Cinema and Education in Values, Best Art Direction by Micaela Saiegh, and Best Screenplay credited to Mariano Llinás and Santiago Mitre.
The leading actor accolade went to Ricardo Darín, who shared the spotlight with colleague Peter Lanzani during the ceremony. Darín dedicated his victory to the Argentine prosecutor portrayed in the film, Julio César Strassera, remarking on the human dignity shown in that era and the vow of never again.
News of a kidnapping, the Colombian drama that had hoped for six prizes, emerged with the Best Miniseries award and the Best Cinematographic Teleseries designation. Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García were celebrated as Best Miniseries or Cinematographic Teleseries creators, acknowledging their writing and production achievements.
Actress Cristina Umaña earned the Best Actress Award, and Majida Issa was honored as Best Supporting Actress for her role in the same drama. In the Spanish film scene, As Bestas collected multiple honors, including Best Director for Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Best Editing Direction for Alberto del Campo and Best Sound Direction for the trio of Aitor Berenguer, Fabiola Ordoyo, and Yasmina Praderas. Luis Zahera also received Best Supporting Actor for his performance.
Susi Sánchez received the Best Actress casting award for Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s Cinco Lobitos, with Laia Costa taking Best Actress in that production for her performance. Other notable recognitions included the Best Ibero-American Editing for the first feature film 1976, and the Best Animated Feature for Águila y Jaguar: los guerreros legend. The Case Padilla was named Best Documentary Feature, and Official Competition secured Best Ibero-American Fictional Comedy. Utama was recognized for Best Original Score by Sergio Prudencio and Best Cinematography by Bárbara Álvarez.
Across the acting categories in the series domain, Guillermo Francella earned Best Actor for his role in El encargado, while Alejandro Awada took Best Actor in a Supporting or Ensemble category for Iosi, the Repentant Spy.
Homage to Benicio del Toro
The ceremony also featured a heartfelt tribute to Benicio del Toro, who received the Platinum of Honor amid applause and a standing ovation. The Puerto Rican star expressed gratitude and called the honor in Madrid, the capital of the Spanish-speaking world, a meaningful milestone in his career.
Del Toro reflected on his journey, recalling his early days in Hollywood when offers often came with requests to change his name or alter his appearance. He spoke candidly about the challenges faced by Latino actors in a landscape still grappling with stereotypes and limited representation.
He stressed that Latinos are a minority in the United States and that many roles would not have been suitable without critical attention to depth and nuance. The performer emphasized the responsibility that comes with choosing roles that preserve integrity and humanity in every character, arguing for more substantial and varied Latino stances on screen.
Del Toro also shared that his enduring quest is to avoid shallow depictions. He argued that authentic storytelling requires exploring the humanity and complexity of characters, not caving to stereotypes. The discussion highlighted the broader goal of supporting sustainable development goals through inclusive, responsible audiovisual production across Ibero-America.
The Platinum Awards took place at the IFEMA Palacio Municipal de Madrid and were presented by a gala led by the Spanish actress Paz Vega, with Colombian Carolina Gaitán and Mexican Omar Chaparro contributing to the evening’s energy. The event featured musical performances by Sebastián Yatra and Blanca Paloma, with additional renditions by Adrián Lastra, Lucrecia, Michel Brown, Mane de la Parra, and Clara Alvarado, who performed beloved classics from Ibero-American regions.
City officials attended the ceremony, including the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, deputy mayor Begoña Villacís, and the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, among others. The tenth edition of the Platinum Awards, organized by EGEDA in collaboration with FIPCA, drew votes from a broad international jury and the wider Spanish and Portuguese-speaking filmmaking community, along with the specialist international press. The ceremony drew on the insights and votes of participants who had followed the Platinum Awards across its nine prior editions, shaping a diverse and globally recognized celebration of Ibero-American audiovisual achievement. The event underscores an ongoing commitment to unity and collaboration within the Ibero-American audiovisual industry, highlighting the shared goals of quality storytelling and cultural impact across nations.