10/10/2003

There are changes afoot at the Spanish Film Academy, which has just lost its charismatic president, the actress Marisa Paredes.
She said she was leaving the positive for personal reasons and denied rumours about political pressure, and she will be replaced by her colleague, Mercedes Sampietro who will be joined by two new vice-presidents, the producer Agustin Almodovar and the director Isabel Coixet.

Paredes published a letter together with the two former vice presidents, Antonio Chavarrìa and Joaquín Oristrell, who also tendered their resignations. In the note they explain that their many professional engagements over the coming months will mean they have to be away from Madrid for long periods of time.
Marisa Paredes was unanimously elected to the position of president on June 15 and she should have been in the position for 3 years. Sampietro takes over from her temporarily, and will be working together with the two new vice presidents on the next edition of the Goyas. The Academy will only elect a new president after the award ceremony, which is due to take place at the beginning of February, 2004.

(Translated from Italian)