Family Drama ‘Sundays’ Beats ‘Sirāt’ at Spain’s Goya Awards

Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s Basque family drama Sundays beat out Oliver Laxe’s Oscar-nominated techno-tracked dystopian drama Sirāt to take top prize at the Goya Awards, Spain’s top film honors.

Sundays won best picture, director, best actress for star Patricia López Arnaíz, and best original screenplay, alongside a supporting actress win for Nagore Aramburu. The film won San Sebastián’s Golden Shell in September, and was the consensus choice for the Spanish film academy, who members vote on the Goyas.

Sirāt, which won Cannes’ Jury Prize last year and is Spain’s contender for the best international feature Oscar, as well as an Academy Award contender for best sound, did not go home empty handed. Laxe’s feature won six Goyas at the event, held in Barcelona on Saturday night, scoring trophies for best sound, cinematography, editing and original score.

Another multiple-prize winner was Eva Libertad’s Deaf, a drama following a deaf woman navigating pregnancy and motherhood with a hearing partner, which won Goyas for best new director, best supporting actor and best new actress for star Miriam Garlo. The film premiered in Berlin last year, where it won the audience award for the Panorama section. Toni Fernández Gabarre took best new actor honors for his performance in Guillermo Galoe’s Sleepless City.

Joachim Trier’s Oscar contender Sentimental Value was named best European film, while Dolores Fonzi’s Oscar-shortlisted Belén won best Ibero-American film.

Politics, as so often at the Goyas, were part of Saturday’s ceremony. Co-host Luis Tosar wore a Palestine flag pin and, from the stage, condemned what he called the “Gaza genocide,” drawing sustained applause. Multiple winners wore “Free Palestine” or “Stop Genocide” badges.

Susan Sarandon, who was honored with the lifetime achievement honor, praised both Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and local artists for speaking “with such moral lucidity.” In a world marked by “cruelty” and “violence.” “It helps me to feel less alone, part of a larger community,” she added.

Full list of 40th Goya Awards Winners

Best Picture
Sundays, dir. Alauda Ruiz de Azúa

Director
Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, Sundays

Actress
Patricia López Arnaíz, Sundays

Actor
José Ramón Soroiz, Maspalomas

New Director
Eva Libertad, Deaf

Original Screenplay
Sundays, dir. Alauda Ruiz de Azúa

Adapted Screenplay
La Cena, dir. Joaquín Oristrell

Art Direction
Sirāt, dir. Oliver Laxe

Supporting Actor
Álvaro Cervantes, Deaf

Supporting Actress
Nagore Aramburu, Sundays

New Actress
Miriam Garlo, Deaf

New Actor
Toni Fernández Gabarre, Sleepless City

Documentary Feature
Afternoons of Solitude, dir. Albert Serra

Animated Feature
Decorado, dir. Alberto Vázquez

Sound
Sirāt, dir. Oliver Laxe

Original Music
Sirāt, dir. Oliver Laxe

Cinematography
Sirāt, dir. Oliver Laxe

Editing
Sirāt, dir. Oliver Laxe

Production Design
Sirāt, dir. Oliver Laxe

Original Song
Flowers for Antonio, dir. Alba Flores

Special Effects
Los Tigres, dir. Alberto Rodríguez

Costume Design
La Cena, dir. Joaquín Oristrell

Makeup & Hairstyling
The Captive, dir. Alejandro Amenábar

Ibero-American Film
Belén, dir. Dolores Fonzi

European Film
Sentimental Value, dir. Joachim Trier

Fiction Short
Ángulo Muerto, dir. Cristian Beteta

Animated Short
Gilbert, dir. Jordi Jiménez

Documentary Short
El Santo, dir. Carlo D’Ursi

Honorary Goya
Gonzalo Suárez

International Honorary Goya
Susan Sarandon