Goya 2012: no joy for Almodóvar

I can’t say I was unhappy to be proved wrong in predicting the winners at Sunday’s Goya Awards. Never believe the media. Given the hype, Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In looked set to sweep the board, with 16 nominations. But instead the Spanish Film Academy gave the best prizes to Enrique Urbizu’s No Rest for the Wicked, which carried off Best Picture and Best Director, while veteran José Coronado took Best Actor for his portrayal of a maverick cop in the gritty police thriller — the fabulous curly perm he sports in the role was worth an award in itself.

Interviewed as he entered the gala event at Madrid’s Opera House, Almodóvar gave the impression he had been tipped off that he wouldn’t be taking the top prizes on Sunday night: “I’m not here as a loser, I’m ready for others to take awards, a therapy that I have used throughout my life, and that has served me well up until now.”

In the event, The Skin I Live In took four Goyas: Elena Anaya for Best Actress; Jan Cornet for Best New Actor; Best Original Music, by Alberto Iglesias, taking his 10th Goya win; and Best Makeup/Hair.

Almodóvar has had a troubled relationship with the Spanish Academy. As a writer-director, he has been nominated for a total of 15 Goyas, winning twice as Best Director — for All About My Mother in 1999) and Volver (2006) — and once for Best Original Screenplay, for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988). Even so, he resigned from the Academy in 2005 following the resounding defeat of Bad Education.

At the 2010 Goyas, Almodóvar made an unannounced appearance to present Best Film. He was absent at last year’s awards, when Black Bread took nine Goyas, then being nominated to be Spain’s Oscar entry for Best Foreign Film next month in Los Angeles. The Skin I Live In has received a mixed reception internationally, winning only one major award at this year’s BAFTAs.

It had been widely assumed that this year’s awards would see the Spanish Film Academy reward Almodóvar’s return to the fold. His film’s failure to impress the Spanish Film Academy will also have disappointed Antonio Banderas, who was in the running for Best Actor, a category he is unlikely to find himself in again any time soon for his repeated portrayal of Puss in Boots.

But back to the winners: Ignacio Ferreras’ Wrinkles, took Best Animated Feature and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ferreras, Ángel de la Cruz, Paco Roca, Rosanna Cecchini) for its story set in a health-care facility for the elderly.

Ana Wagener and María León took Best Supporting Actress and Best New Actress respectively for their roles in histrionic Spanish Civil War drama The Sleeping Voice.

Lluís Homar was given Best Supporting Actor for the futuristic psychological drama Eva, which also won Goyas for Best Special Effects and for Best New Director Kike Maíllo.

Justice for Coixet

Isabel Coixet’s filmed interview with Judge Baltasar Garzón, Listening to Judge Garzón was awarded a well-deserved Best Feature Documentary. Earlier this month, Garzón was disbarred by the Spanish Supreme Court for illegally eavesdropping on the conversations of defence lawyers and suspects in the Gürtel-Popular Party corruption case. He still faces charges for overstepping his authority in investigating the crimes of the Franco era.

Goya fans will remember that last year’s awards night was a tense affair following a very public spat between former Culture Minister Ángeles Gonzáles Sinde and then president of the Academy Álex de la Iglesia over internet piracy legislation.

That night, Guy Fawkes-masked supporters of Anonymous booed many of those attending the event as they arrived. This year the police weren’t taking any chances that the stars’ night out might be spoiled, and established a heavy presence around the Opera House. In the event there were few fans, and fewer protesters. Bags were searched, and a couple of youngsters found in the possession of a Guy Fawkes mask were taken away. Journalists who had the temerity to question the measure were forcefully told to butt out.

 

Full list of winners:

 

Film

No Rest for the Wicked, Enrique Urbizu.

 

Director

Enrique Urbizu, No Rest for the Wicked.

 

New Director

Kike Maillo,  Eva.

 

Original Script

Enrique Urbizu and Michel Gaztambide, No Rest for the Wicked.

 

Adapted Script

Angel de la Cruz, Ignacio Ferreras, Paco Roca and Rosanna Cecchini, Wrinkles.

 

Original Score

Alberto Iglesias, The Skin I Live In.

 

Original Song

Debajo del limón, from De tu ventana a la mía.

Nana de la hierbabuena, from La voz dormida.

Nuestra playa eres tu, from Maktub.

Verbo, from Verbo.

 

Lead Actor

Jose Coronado, for No Rest for the Wicked.

 

Lead Actress

Elena Anaya, for The Skin I Live In.

 

Supporting Actor

Lluis Homar, for Eva.

 

Supporting Actress

Ana Wagener, for The Sleeping Voice.

 

New Actor

Jan Cornet, for The Skin I Live In.

 

New Actress

María León, for The Sleeping Voice.

 

Production Design

Andrés Santana, for Blackthorn.

Toni Carrizosa, for Eva.

Toni Novella, for The Skin I Live In.

Paloma Molina, for No Rest for the Wicked.

 

Photography

Juan Antonio Ruiz Anchia, for Blackthorn.

 

Editing

Pablo Blanco, for No Rest for the Wicked.

 

Artistic Director

Juan Pedro de Gaspar, for Blackthorn.

 

Wardrobe

Clara Bilbao, for Blackthorn.

 

Makeup and Hair

Karmele Soler, David Marti and Manolo Carretero, for The Skin I Live In.

 

Sound

Licio Marcos de Oliveira and Ignacio Royo-Villanova, for No Rest for the Wicked.

 

Special Effects

Arturo Balseiro and Lluis Castells, for Eva.

 

Animated Feature

Wrinkles.

 

Documentary Film

Escuchando al juez Garzon.

 

Ibero-American Film

Un cuento chino.

 

European Film

The Artist.

 

Spanish Fiction Short

El barco pirata.

 

Animated Short

Birdboy

 

Documentary Short

Regreso a Viridiana.