14/01/2019 - The 24th Forqué Award for Best Film of 2018, handed out by EGEDA, went to the comedy-drama directed by Javier Fesser, and produced by Morena Films and Películas Pendelton

The winners and other people involved in the 24th Forqué Awards (© Forqué Awards/EGEDA)

There is no doubt that the most profitable film of the more than 200 shot in Spain during 2018 was Champions [+see also:
trailer
film profile]: despite having a mid-level budget, it has so far grossed almost €20 million (see the news). As well as vying for 11 trophies at the imminent ceremony being organised for the Goya Awards, the prizes handed out by the Spanish Film Academy (see the news), it picked up the Forqué Award (given out by EGEDA, a society grouping together Spanish audiovisual producers) for the best film of last year, in addition to the Film and Values-based Education Award in Zaragoza on Saturday. Its director Javier Fesser, several cast members, producer Álvaro Longoria (of Morena Films) and Luis Manso (Películas Pendelton), all clearly over the moon, went up on stage to receive the trophies.

This all unfolded during a rather tedious ceremony of dubious humorousness, as is customary at this type of event, which was attended by the Minister of Culture and Sport, José Guirao, the CEO of the ICAA, Beatriz Navas, the president of EGEDA, Enrique Cerezo – who once again used his time at the microphone to demand that cinema in Spain become a state affair, as is happening in other European countries – and international superstar Penélope Cruz, who was nominated for Best Actress for Everybody Knows [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], and has produced films such as Ma Ma [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Julio Medem and The Queen of Spain [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Fernando Trueba
film profile] by Fernando Trueba.

But as a matter of fact, one of the surprises on the night was that it wasn’t Cruz who won this prize – nor her rivals Bárbara Lennie (in the running thanks to her performance in Petra [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jaime Rosales
film profile]) or Alexandra Jiménez (The Distances [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elena Trapé
film profile]) – but rather Eva Llorach, the least well known of them all, for her turn in the sophisticated and gloomy Quién te cantará [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carlos Vermut
film profile] by Carlos Vermut. In the Best Actor category (the winner of which, like Best Actress, is determined based on the votes of the specialised film press), it was Antonio de la Torre who prevailed, with his performance as a corrupt politician in The Realm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Isabel P…
film profile], roundly trouncing José Coronado (nominated for Tu hijo [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Javier Bardem (Everybody Knows) and Javier Gutiérrez (Champions).

The documentary The Silence of Others [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Almudena Carracedo, Esther …
film profile], co-produced by the Almodóvar brothers (via El Deseo) and directed by Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar, emerged victorious in its respective category, while Roma by Mexico’s Alfonso Cuarón was voted Best Latin American Film, and the terrifying short film Piggy by Carlota Pereda won out over the other hopefuls.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Fiction Feature
Champions [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – Javier Fesser

Best Actress 
Eva Llorach – Quién te cantará [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carlos Vermut
film profile] (Spain/France)

Best Actor
Antonio de la Torre – The Realm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Isabel P…
film profile] (Spain/France)

Best Documentary Feature 
The Silence of Others [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Almudena Carracedo, Esther …
film profile] – Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar (Spain/USA)

Best Short Film 
Piggy – Carlota Pereda

Best Latin American Feature 
Roma – Alfonso Cuarón (Mexico/USA)

Film and Values-based Education Award 
Champions – Javier Fesser

EGEDA Gold Medal
José Frade

(Translated from Spanish)