Goya Awards 2023: The best of Spain's silver screen 

AT LEAST as prestigious and famous as the Oscars within Spain, and almost as much so outside the country, the Goya Awards are on a par with the BAFTAs, a scaled-down Golden Globe, and equally as coveted as the trophies and statuettes presented at the world's major film festivals – Cannes, Venice, San Sebastián, and similar household names in the cinema industry. 

Nationally, winning a Goya is almost more of an honour than the other, much more world-renowned distinctions, because it shows you've helped put Spanish film on the international map and guaranteed yourself a cult following at home. 

Named after the legendary late-18th and early-19th century painter, and originally – like the Oscars – photography awards, the Goyas have the whole of Spain glued to their TVs for the evening and sees a flurry of checking cinema showings. 

Those nominees and winners no longer on the schedule are often still being shown on Netflix, HBO and, of course, available to buy or rent on DVD, where you can add subtitles if you're not confident about watching them in the original language.

Presented live on Saturday night, we've brought you a round-up of the best in silver-screen entertainment in Spain right now, in case you missed it.

Carlos Saura, the loss of a legend

The ceremony in Sevilla this weekend was tinged with sadness, due to the absence of its star guest – legendary film director Carlos Saura knew he was going to get the annual Lifetime Achievement Goya, but passed away at home in Madrid only the day before receiving it.

Aged 91 and five weeks, Saura was once married to Dr Zhivago star and Golden Globe nominee Geraldine Chaplin – the actress daughter of Charlie Chaplin, who fell in love with the cinema great's country as well as his person, and still lives and works in Spain, as does her Madrid-born Game of Thrones star daughter Oona.

Saura's works spanned generations, starting from his 1955 short, Flamenco, through to his 2022 Las Paredes Hablan ('The Walls Can Talk'), and until February 10, 2023, he was practically an institution as well as an artist.

Famous works that may resonate with non-Spanish-speaking viewers might include Carmen (1983) and the screen adaptation of Federico García Lorca's Bodas de Sangre ('Blood Wedding') from 1981.

Juliette, again

Having already scooped up a Donostia Prize for lifetime achievement at San Sebastián Film Festival five months ago, prolific and versatile French actress Juliette Binoche won an International Goya Award for her long career in the industry.

Film fans of numerous nationalities and native languages will be familiar with Madame Binoche's work – from the famous Zbigniew Preisner Trois Coleurs trilogy, Rouge, Blanc and Bleu, to the Millennium screen adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient alongside Kristin Scott-Thomas, to the delicious Chocolat based upon Joanne Harris' 'rural France escapism' novel, and even a Best European Film San Sebastián winner in 2021, Le Quai de Ouistreham ('Between Two Worlds', in the English version), where she played an author going undercover as a low-paid cleaner in a gritty social drama reminiscent of Barbara Ehrenreich's 1998 exposé novel Nickel and Dimed.

Juliette dedicated her award to the recently-passed Carlos Saura, saying how much she had always admired his films from earliest childhood.

The ones to watch

First-time pregnancy and parenthood, scary neighbours, kidnap and murder, family relationships, and new friendships – some toxic, some life-affirming – were the main themes seen at this year's ceremony, where a handful of familiar faces joined a long list of relative newcomers in the top five for their categories.

Best European Film always sees a multi-lingual batch of everything from hard-hitting history to social comedy, and a home-grown British or Irish production nearly always features in the final shortlist.

Kenneth Branagh's Belfast, a grimly-real portrayal of the troubles in Northern Ireland, was the UK's representative at this year's Goyas, but the award eventually went to the anti-heroine Norwegian chick-flick The Worst Person in the World. In this latest rom-com by Joachim Trier, Renate Reinsve stars as the hapless Julie, the Bridget Jones of Scandinavia.

Sweeping the board was the Galician-language hedge-wars horror As Bestas ('The Beasts'), with an incredible nine Goya Awards out of 16 nominations.

Gritty prison drama Modelo 77 ('Cell Block 77'), set in the aftermath of General Franco's long dictatorship, was also up for 16 trophies, of which it took home five.

The main categories were dominated by three films – the third being the family drama Cinco Lobitos ('Lullaby'), winning three awards out of a possible total of 10.

Disappointment was waiting in the wings for the cast and crew behind the bucolic Alcarràs, the issue-based drama En Los Márgenes, and the detective mystery Los Renglones Torcidos de Dios – high hopes were dashed when, after between five and 10 nominations each, none of those involved had to bother with their acceptance speeches. Not even Penélope Cruz, who has become very familiar with what it feels like to step onto the stage and leave it with a trophy, wide smiles and tears of joy.

Here's the lowdown on who and which films won what, and what they are all about.

As Bestas ('The Beasts')

A rural thriller set in the far north-western region of Galicia, where French couple Antoine and Olga set up home in a remote village, living a calm and peaceful existence surrounded by nature – at least, at first. 

Ongoing conflict with their neighbours, the Anta family, creates rising tension in the community – until it reaches a point of no return.

Won: Best Film, Best Director for Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Best Lead Actor for Denis Ménochet, Best Supporting Actor for Luiz Zahera, Best Original Script for Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Isabel Peña, Best Soundtrack for Fabiola Ordoyo, Yasmina Praderas and Aitor Berenguer, Best Photographic Director for Álex de Pablo, Best Set Design for Alberto del Campo, and Best Original Score for Olivier Arson.

Nominated for: Best Lead Actress for Marina Foïs, Best Supporting Actress for Marie Colomb, Best Artistic Director for José Tirado, Best Special Effects for Óscar Abades and Ana Rubio, Best Hair and Makeup for Irene Pedrosa and Jesús Gil, Best Costume Design for Paola Torres, and Best Production for Carmen Sánchez de la Vega.

Modelo 77 ('Cell Block 77')

A young accountant in prison in 1977 awaiting trial for alleged embezzlement is facing 20 years behind bars, at a time when Spain was still clawing itself back from a long, far-right dictatorship.

Whilst inside, the defendant joins an ever-growing group of inmates who are fighting for amnesty.

Won: Best Hair and Makeup for Yolanda Piña and Félix Terrero, Best Special Effects for Esther Ballesteros and Ana Rubio, Best Artistic Director for Pepe Domínguez del Olmo, Best Costume Design for Fernando García, and Best Production for Manuela Ocón Aburto.

Nominated for: Best Film, Best Director for Alberto Rodríguez, Best Lead Actor for Javier Gutiérrez and, separately, for Miguel Herrán, Best Supporting Actor for Fernando Tejero and, separately, for Jesús Carroza, Best Original Script for Alberto Rodríguez and Rafael Cobos, Best Soundtrack for Daniel de Zayas, Miguel Huete, Pelayo Gutiérrez and Valeria Arcieri, Best Photographic Director for Álex Catalán, Best Set Design for José M. G. Moyano, and Best Original Score for Julio de la Rosa.

Cinco Lobitos ('Lullaby')

Although the title translates as 'Five Little Wolves', Amaia only has one 'baby wolf' to care for – she has just become a first-time mum and feels out of her depth.

Her partner has had to go away for work for a few weeks, so a daunted Amaia goes to stay with her parents in their quaint Basque seaside village, hoping for guidance and support at the start of her new journey.

But even though Amaia is now a mother herself, she quickly realises she will never stop being a daughter and her parents' little girl.

Won: Best Lead Actress for Laia Costa, who plays daughter and new mum Amaia, Best Supporting Actress for Susi Sánchez, who plays Amaia's mother, and Best New Director for Alauda Ruiz de Azúa.

Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor for Ramón Barea, who plays Amaia's father, Best Original Script for Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, Best New Actor for Mikel Bustamante, Best Soundtrack for Asier González, Eva de la Fuente López and Roberto Fernández, Best Producer for María José Díez, Best Photographic Director for Jon D. Domínguez, and Best Set Design for Andrés Gil.

Cerdita ('Piggy')

A coming-of-age thriller involving a group of teenage girls kidnapped by a stranger, witnessed only by classmate Sara, who decides not to comment when police question her.

Sara, who is overweight, is habitually bullied at school by the group who have been abducted. Perhaps her silence is to prevent the girls being found – as revenge, or to keep her safe from the endless onslaught of humiliation at their hands – or, does she know more about their disappearance than she is letting on? 

Won: Best New Actress, for Laura Galán

Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress for Carmen Machi, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best New Director for Carlota Pereda, Best Hair and Makeup for Paloma Lozano and Nacho Díaz, and Best Producer for Sara García.

Other Best Film candidates

Young rising star Carla Quílez – whose first name, incidentally, is the same as that of her character – had already won Best Lead Performer at September's San Sebastián Film Festival for La Maternal, and although she was not nominated for a Goya in the same category, the production itself was up for Best Film.

She plays pregnant 14-year-old Carla, who comes from a deprived background and checks into a refuge for other underage expecting mums, where she faces the challenges of building bonds with her peers, trying to understand the toxic relationship she has with her own mother, and preparing herself for her life-changing new rôle.

Creator Pilar Palomero was nominated for Best Director, and Ángela Cervantes for Best Supporting Actress.

The lifelong bond between a community and its homeland, the devastating impact of change and displacement, and a wistfully-nostalgic insight into rural Spain comes with Alcarràs, where a family who has been living for generations off the summer harvest of their peach orchard.

When the landowner dies, the inheritors want to sell the site in the heart of Catalunya's land-locked province of Lleida, meaning the clan has to deal with the trauma of being cut off from their roots.

The village that gives the film its name does, in fact, exist.

Despite being nominated for 10 Goyas, though, Alcarràs left the ceremony empty-handed.

Creator Carla Simón was nominated for Best Director, she and Arnau Vilaró for Best Original Script, Mónica Bernuy for Best Artistic Director, Eva Valiño, Thomas Giorgi and Alejandro Castillo for Best Soundtrack, Elisa Sirvent for Best Producer, Daniela Cajías for Best Photographic Director, and Ana Pfaff for Best Set Design, whilst Anna Otín was in the running for Best New Actress and Albert Bosch and Jordi Pujol Dolcet for separate Best New Actor awards.

Best Actor, Actress and Director nominations

Psychological thriller Mantícora ('Manticore') earned Carlos Vermut a Best Director and Best Original Script nomination, and Nacho Sánchez a chance at Best Lead Actor and Zoe Stein for Best New Actress. Nacho stars as Julián, a successful video-game designer who is haunted by dark secrets and sexual demons, but who sees a rare opportunity for happiness when Diana comes into his life.

Winner of two awards at San Sebastián Film Festival in September, Suro earned Vicky Luengo – as pregnant Helena – a Best Lead Actress Goya nomination. Her character, due to become a mum for the first time, moves to a rural woodland enclave with her partner Ivan, leaving their bustling urban life behind, yet find their new home to be anything but peaceful, and discover what it feels like to be the 'outsiders' or the 'foreigners'. Creator Mikel Gurrea was nominated for a Best New Director Goya.

Anna Castillo was nominated for Best Lead Actress for her rôle as 22-year-old mum-of-two Julia in Girasoles Silvestres ('Wild Sunflowers'), in which her character falls in love with a 'bad boy' and worries about whether he is a good influence on her children. 

Bárbara Lennie was among the five Best Lead Actress nominees for playing private detective Alice in the murder mystery Los Renglones Torcidos de Dios, which translates as 'God's Twisted Lines', who checks into a psychiatric ward feigning extreme paranoia. 

Alice's undercover hospital stay is designed to allow her to gather evidence about the unexplained death of a patient, which she is attempting to solve.

The film earned Guillem Clua and Oriol Paulo a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, Montse Sanfeliu, Carolina Atxukarro and Pablo Perona a nomination for Best Hair and Makeup, Alberto Valcárcel for Best Costume Design, and Fernando Velázquez for Best Original Score – but despite being in the running for five Goyas, the production did not take home any statuettes.

Spain's most famous international screen star, Penélope Cruz, already has plenty of the most coveted prizes in the industry in her trophy cabinet, including a Donostia Award for lifetime achievement from the San Sebastián Film Festival, a BAFTA, three Goyas, a David de Donatello Award, a European Cinema Award, an Actress of the Year Hollywood Film Festival prize, a Copa Volpi Best Actress trophy from Venice Film Festival, a Best Lead Actress from Cannes – and she was the first-ever Spanish female ever to win an Oscar, or even be nominated for one (which she now has been four times), as well as notching up four Golden Globe and one Emmy nomination, and countless national cinema prizes.

So although she would have been excited and overwhelmed to have won Best Supporting Actress at this year's Goyas, Penélope is most likely pleased with being in the final five and happy to let someone else take home the statuette.

Her co-star Luis Tosar was up for Best Lead Actor in Juan Diego Botto's En Los Márgenes (which translates as 'On the Fringe'), in which employment lawyer Rafa's day from hell is depicted – battling to help an immigrant facing losing custody of his daughter, and defending a woman about to be evicted from her home – and in which his challenging caseloads are closely linked to the trials of Germán, a businessman threatened with ruin.

Botto himself was on the final shortlist for Best New Director, and Eduardo Cruz and pop chart sensation Rozalén were nominated for Best Original Score.

Christian Checa was nominated for Best New Actor for En Los Márgenes, but this went to Telmo Irureta for his part in La Consagración de la Primavera as David, a student with cerebral palsy who lives with his mother and who is helped to overcome his awkwardness and complexes by new university friend and chemistry undergraduate Laura.

The film takes its title from Igor Stravinsky's 1913 composition, The Rite of Spring.