The Goyas 2023 will be held in Seville on February 11 and, although we still do not know which will be the main candidates to win the edition, what we do know is that the filmmaker Carlos Saura will receive the Goya de Honor for the next edition. More than half a century of career go a long way and the Academy, announced by the president Fernando Mendez-Leitehas given the news that the Aragonese filmmaker will be the one to obtain this recognition in the great night of Spanish cinema that will be officiated in the Palace of Congresses and Exhibitions from the city of the Giralda. To celebrate, we review some of the best works of this historic national director:
‘Ay Carmela!’
‘Ay Carmela!’ (RTVE)
Just deep sea has been able to beat the numbers that this dramatic comedy about the civil war got at the Goyas in 1990. 15 nominations of which he managed to win 13 bobbleheads, including such relevant awards as best film and director. A group of comedians brightens up the life of the Republican soldiers who, tired of the complications of the conflict, decide to flee to Valencia. By mistake, they fall into the territory of the national side and are forced to stage a play that is filled with the ideology they abhor.
‘Breeding ravens…’
‘Cría cuervos’ (Elías Querejeta Productions)
By 1976, Spain had not yet created the Goya Awards, but if they had existed, surely Breeding ravens would have swept Nevertheless, Carlos Saura won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, sharing recognition with Éric Rohmer’s The Marquise of O. It also had great international recognition with nominations for best foreign film from the Golden Globes and the Césars. Produced under the label of Elías Querejeta, Breeding ravens tells the story of Ana, a 9-year-old girl who believes she has the ability to summon her deceased mother whenever she wants.
‘The hunt’
‘The Hunt’ (Elías Querejeta)
With her, Saura took the Silver Bear for best director at the Berlin Festival from 1966. In La caza, three friends march to a reserve that in the past was the scene of a bloody battle in the Civil War. None of them are exactly in their prime. One of them is separating from his wife and another, for example, has alcoholism problems. So out of that toxic environment arises a confrontation between the three what in principle was going to be an idyllic day of hunting.
