Goya Awards, the "Spanish Oscars", were handed out last night, Saturday, with a result nobody saw it coming: the first ex aequo prize for Best Picture in the 39-year history of the Awards, meaning that two movies share the awards, and both are considered winners: El 47 and La Infiltrada (Undercover in English).
It is only the second time a film in the Goya share prize... and the first time it happens with the biggest prize of all. The only other time happened in 1991 for Best Short Film.
Crew from both films joined the stage, with a feel of astonishment but mostly gratitude and joy that two movies could share, in equal terms, the most prestigious award in Spanish cinema. The two movies share things in common, as both are based on real-life political events from the 20th Century.
El 47, directed by Marcel Barrena tells the story of a bus driver from Torrebaró, a marginal district in Barcelona, who hijacked a bus claiming for better social services in his neighbourhood, shortly after the death of Franco's dictatorship. The movie won four other awards, including Best Actor for Eduard Fernández and Special Effects.
Undercover, directed by Arantxa Echevarría, tells the story of a female police officer that went undercover in the terrorist band ETA. Carolina Yuste also won the Award for Best Actress.
Other awards include Pedro Almodóvar, Best Adapted Screenplay for The Room Next Door, Alberto Iglesias' score for that same film, Emilia Pérez winning Best European film, and Richard Gere (who currently lives in Madrid) winning a honorary prize.
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