23/04/2018 - The movie by the Catalan filmmaker has been crowned with the Best Film Award, Best Director Award and Best Actress Award for Alexandra Jiménez

l-r: The team behind The Distances: editor Liana Artigal, screenwriter Miguel Ibáñez, director Elena Trapé and producer Marta Ramírez (© Antonio Pastor/Málaga Film Festival)

Ever since The Distances [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elena Trapé
film profile], the second feature by Elena Trapé, was screened in the official section of the 21st Málaga Festival of Spanish-language Film, the film had positioned itself as the firm favourite, and the jury – comprising filmmakers Mariano Barroso and Manane Rodríguez, make-up artist Sylvie Imbert, author Marta Sanz and actress Aura Garrido – confirmed this on Saturday 21 April by handing it the Golden Biznaga for Best Spanish Film at the event. In addition, it snagged the Biznagas for Best Director and Best Actress. Alexandra Jiménez split the latter award with Valeria Bertuccelli, for her performance as the lead in the Argentinian-Danish production The Queen of Fear [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

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Meanwhile, Best Latin American Film (and another Golden Biznaga, endowed with €12,000) went to the Brazilian-Uruguayan co-production Loveling, directed by Gustavo Pizzi. The Silver Biznaga – Special Jury Prize was bestowed upon Casi 40 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: David Trueba
film profile] (Spain) by David Trueba and The Queen of Fear, directed by Valeria Bertuccelli and Fabiana Tiscornia. The remaining acting gongs were split between the Spanish titles Sin fin [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Best Actor for Javier Rey) and Mi querida cofradía [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Best Supporting Actress for Carmen Flores, plus the Audience Award), and the Cuban flick Los buenos demonios (Best Supporting Actor for Vladimir Cruz, in addition to Best Screenplay, penned by Daniel Díaz Torres and Alejandro Hernández, and Best Score, courtesy of Edesio Alejandro). Two further prizes went to the horror film You Shall Not Sleep [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Spain/Argentina/Uruguay), which was rewarded for its cinematography (by Guillermo Nieto) and editing (Pablo Zumárraga).

The Silver Biznaga – Critics’ Special Jury Prize was handed to Loveling, “for bringing us touchingly close to the family and for being able to move us without descending into sentimentality”. In the interesting and ever-surprising Zonazine section, victory was claimed by the Spanish production Facing the Wind [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Maritxell Colell. Finally, within the documentary section, another Spanish title, Ainhoa, yo no soy esa, helmed by Carolina Astudillo, went home with the Silver Biznaga (worth €8,000).

Here is the full list of winners:

Official section

Golden Biznaga for Best Spanish Film 
The Distances [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elena Trapé
film profile] - Elena Trapé (Spain)

Golden Biznaga for Best Latin American Film 
Loveling - Gustavo Pizzi (Brazil/Uruguay)

Silver Biznaga – Special Jury Prize (ex aequo)
Casi 40 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: David Trueba
film profile] - David Trueba (Spain)
The Queen of Fear [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Valeria Bertuccelli, Fabiana Tiscornia (Argentina/Denmark)

Silver Biznaga for Best Director
Elena Trapé – The Distances

Hotel AC Málaga Palacio Silver Biznaga for Best Actress (ex aequo)
Alexandra Jiménez – The Distances 
Valeria Bertuccelli – The Queen of Fear

Vibuk Silver Biznaga for Best Actor 
Javier Rey - Sin fin [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Supporting Actress 
Carmen Flores - Mi querida cofradía [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Supporting Actor 
Vladimir Cruz - Los buenos demonios (Cuba)

Silver Biznaga for Best Screenplay 
Daniel Díaz Torres, Alejandro Hernández - Los buenos demonios

Silver Biznaga for Best Score 
Edesio Alejandro - Los buenos demonios

Deluxe Silver Biznaga for Best Cinematography 
Guillermo Nieto – You Shall Not Sleep [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Spain/Argentina/Uruguay)

Silver Biznaga for Best Editing 
Pablo Zumárraga – You Shall Not Sleep

Silver Biznaga – Critics’ Special Jury Prize 
Loveling – Gustavo Pizzi

Silver Biznaga - Gas Natural Fenosa Audience Award
Mi querida cofradía – Marta Díaz de Lope

Zonazine section

Silver Biznaga for Best Spanish Film 
Facing the Wind [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Meritxell Colell (Spain/Argentina/France)

Silver Biznaga for Best Latin American Film 
Casa Coraggio - Baltazar Tokman (Argentina)

Silver Biznaga for Best Director 
Baltazar Tokman - Casa Coraggio

Silver Biznaga for Best Actress 
Sofía Urosevich - Casa Coraggio

Silver Biznaga for Best Actor 
Dani Casellas - Yo la busco (Spain)

Silver Biznaga – Audience Award
Get the Weed - Denny Brechner, Alfonso Guerrero, Marcos Hecht (Uruguay)

Official documentary section

Silver Biznaga for Best Documentary 
Ainhoa, yo no soy esa - Carolina Astudillo (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Director
Juan Manuel Sepúlveda Martínez - La vida suspendida de Harley Prosper (Mexico)

Silver Biznaga – Audience Award 
La flor de la vida - Claudia Abend, Adriana Loeff (Uruguay)

(Translated from Spanish)