Sundays scoops the Goya Award for Best Film

02/03/2026 – Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s movie has made off with five of the Spanish film awards, while Óliver Laxe’s Sirāt took home six and Eva Libertad’s Deaf three

On Saturday 28 February, Barcelona played host to the 40th edition of the ceremony to hand out the Goya Awards, given out by the Spanish Academy of Film Arts and Sciences. At the event, Sundays [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
film profile], a feature by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa that previously triumphed at San Sebastián, as well as at the Forqué and Feroz Awards, went home clutching five trophies: Best Film, Best Director, Best Lead Actress (Patricia López Arnaiz), Best Supporting Actress (Nagore Aranburu) and Best Original Screenplay, written by the filmmaker herself.

Having said that, the most-awarded film of the evening was Sirāt [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Óliver Laxe
interview: Sergi López
film profile] by Óliver Laxe, after it picked up the Jury Prize at Cannes and now boasts two nominations for the upcoming Oscars. The movie scooped six prizes: Best Cinematography (Mario Herce), Best Editing (Cristóbal Fernández), Best Production Director (Oriol Maymó), Best Art Director (Laia Ateca Font), Best Original Score (Kangding Ray) and Best Sound (thanks to the efforts of Amanda Villavieja, Laia Casanovas and Yasmina Praderas, who are also vying for the Hollywood Academy’s coveted prize in the same category).

The third-most-acclaimed title of the night was Deaf [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eva Libertad
film profile] by Eva Libertad, which won the Málaga Film Festival last year, and which pocketed three awards here: Best New Director, Best New Actress (Miriam Garlo) and Best Supporting Actor (Álvaro Cervantes).

Catalonian helmer Albert Serra also went up on stage to collect the gong for Best Documentary for his Afternoons of Solitude [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Albert Serra
film profile] (Golden Shell at San Sebastián in 2024), while the dystopian Decorado by Alberto Vázquez bagged the Goya Award for Best Animated Film.

In addition to the aforementioned actors, Goyas were also presented to seasoned thesp José Ramón Soroiz (Best Lead Actor for Maspalomas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aitor Arregi and José Mari …
film profile], directed by José Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi) and to the young Antonio “Toni” Fernández Gabarre (Best New Actor for Sleepless City [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Guillermo Galoe
film profile], helmed by Guillermo Galoe and first shown in the Cannes Critics’ Week).

The historical comedy The Dinner made off with the Goya Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, courtesy of the team comprising director Manuel Gómez Pereira, Joaquín Oristrell and Yolanda García Serrano, and Best Costumes, thanks to the efforts of Helena Sanchis. Alejandro Amenábar’s blockbuster The Captive [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alejandro Amenábar
film profile] was granted Best Hair and Make-up, acknowledging the work of Ana López-Puigcerver, Belén López-Puigcerver and Nacho Díaz, while the skills of Paula Gallifa Rubia and Ana Rubio in Los Tigres [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Alberto Rodríguez were rewarded with the Goya for Best Special Effects.

The documentary Flores para Antonio by Isaki Lacuesta and Elena Molina snagged the Goya Award for Best Original Song, for the title track performed at the end of the movie by actress Alba Flores and artist Sílvia Pérez Cruz.

Lastly, Sentimental Value [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Trier
film profile] by Joachim Trier picked up a well-deserved trophy in the Best European Film category, whereas Belén, the second feature helmed by Argentinian actress Dolores Fonzi (Blondi [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dolores Fonzi
film profile]), triumphed as Best Ibero-American Film.

Here is the full list of winners:

Best Film
Sundays [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
film profile] – Alauda Ruiz de Azúa (Spain/France)

Best Director
Alauda Ruiz de Azúa – Sundays

Best New Director
Eva Libertad – Deaf [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eva Libertad
film profile] (Spain)

Best Documentary Film
Afternoons of Solitude [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Albert Serra
film profile] – Albert Serra (Spain/France/Portugal)

Best Animated Film
Decorado – Alberto Vázquez (Spain/Portugal)

Best Lead Actress
Patricia López Arnaiz – Sundays

Best Lead Actor
José Ramón Soroiz – Maspalomas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aitor Arregi and José Mari …
film profile] (Spain)

Best Supporting Actress
Nagore Aranburu – Sundays

Best Lead Actor
Álvaro Cervantes – Deaf

Best New Actress
Miriam Garlo – Deaf

Best New Actor
Antonio “Toni” Fernández Gabarre – Sleepless City [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Guillermo Galoe
film profile] (Spain/France)

Best Original Screenplay
Alauda Ruiz de Azúa – Sundays

Best Adapted Screenplay
Joaquín Oristrell, Manuel Gómez Pereira, Yolanda García Serrano – The Dinner (Spain/France)

Best Cinematography
Mauro Herce – Sirāt [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Óliver Laxe
interview: Sergi López
film profile] (Spain/France)

Best Editing
Cristóbal Fernández – Sirāt

Best Production Director
Oriol Maymó – Sirāt

Best Art Director
Laia Ateca Font – Sirāt

Best Costume Design
Helena Sanchis – The Dinner

Best Hair and Make-up
Ana López-Puigcerver, Belén López-Puigcerver, Nacho Díaz – The Captive [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alejandro Amenábar
film profile] (Spain/Italy)

Best Special Effects
Paula Gallifa Rubia, Ana Rubio – Los Tigres [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Spain/France)

Best Sound
Amanda Villavieja, Laia Casanovas, Yasmina Praderas – Sirāt

Best Original Score
Kangding Ray – Sirāt

Best Original Song
Flores para Antonio by Alba Flores, Silvia Pérez Cruz – Flores para Antonio (Spain)

Best Fiction Short
Ángulo muerto – Cristian Beteta (Spain)

Best Documentary Short
El Santo – Carlo D’Ursi (Spain)

Best Animated Short
Gilbert – Alex Salu, Arturo Lacal, Jordi Jiménez (Spain)

Best European Film
Sentimental Value [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Trier
film profile] – Joachim Trier (Norway/France/Denmark/Germany)

Best Ibero-American Film
Belén – Dolores Fonzi (Argentina)

Honorary Goya
Gonzalo Suárez

International Goya
Susan Sarandon

(Translated from Spanish)