It comes as no surprise. As soon as the public and the press saw Saturn Return [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Isaki Lacuesta
scheda film] it was widely predicted that this film co-directed by Isaki Lacuesta and Pol Rodríguez would hold a special place on the list of winners at the 27th Malaga Film Festival, and so it has. Last Saturday 9 March, the film won the Gold Biznaga for Best Spanish Film (with a prize of €8,000), the Silver Biznaga for Best Directing and another for Best Editing, by Javi Frutos. On the other hand, the Mexican production Radical, by Christopher Zalla, won the Gold Biznaga for Best Ibero-American Film, also worth €8,000.

Another film that stood out in the decision of the official jury - made up of the Bolivian Alejandro Loayza Grisi (awarded at this same festival two years ago with Utama [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Alejandro Loayza
scheda film]), the Chilean actress Antonia Zegers, the Argentinian writer Claudia Piñeiro (who acted as president), the Spanish-based director Daniela Fejerman, the Catalan filmmaker Javier Ruiz Caldera and the director of the San Sebastian Film Festival José Luis Rebordinos– was Little Loves [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film], the second feature film by the Sevillian Celia Rico, which won the Special Jury Award and the Best Actress in a Supporting Role Award for Adriana Ozores.

Other award-winning performers were the Galician Luis Zahera (who changes register - he almost always plays villains, just remember him in The Beasts [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Rodrigo Sorogoyen e Isabel…
scheda film]– in the road movie Birds Flying East [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
scheda film]) and the Argentinian Joaquín Furriel (for Descansar en paz), who shared the Best Actor in a Leading Role; the Cuban Lola Amores was considered Best Actress for her impressive work in La mujer salvaje, and the Buenos Aires-born Gabriel Goity was considered Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his work in Descansar en paz.

But there is another - rather applauded (and mourned) - Spanish film that won three notable awards (plus as many unofficial ones), even if they are not the ones that made the headlines. La casa [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film],  the third feature film by Valencian Álex Montoya, won the Audience Award, Best Original Score (composed by Fernando Velázquez) and Screenwriting (written by the director together with Joana M. Ortueta). And Nina [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Andrea Jaurrieta
scheda film], the second film by Andrea Jaurrieta from Navarre, won the Critics' Jury Award.

In the Zonazine section, awards went to The Undergrowth [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Macu Machín
scheda film] Best Spanish Film, with a prize of 4,000 euros, and Best Directing to Macu Machín from the Canary Islands), The Major Tones [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] (Best Ibero-American Film, also with 4,000 euros, and Best Female Performance for Sofía Clausen), the Mexican film Lumbrensueño (Best Male Performance for newcomer Diego Solís) and the documentary Orgullo vieja, by the Spaniard Chema Rodríguez, winner of the Audience Award.

In the documentary section, Salvaxe, salvaxe, an environmentalist film by Galician director Emilio Fonseca, won the Silver Biznaga (€4,000) for Best Feature Film, while the Jury awarded a special mention to Hasta que se apague el sol, by Colombian director Jonas Brander. The award for Best Directing was shared by Spain's Carlos Essmann for Artefacto 71 and Jonás Brander, with a special mention for Lucija Stojevic, director of Pepi Fandango [+leggi anche:
trailer
intervista: Lucija Stojević
scheda film]. Finally, the Audience Award went to Daniel Tornero, director of Saturno.

The list of winners:

Feature Film Competition

Gold Biznaga for Best Spanish Film
Saturn Return [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Isaki Lacuesta
scheda film] – Isaki Lacuesta, Pol Rodríguez (Spain/France)

Gold Biznaga for Best Ibero-American Film
Radical - Christopher Zalla (Mexico)

Silver Biznaga Special Jury Award
Little Loves [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] – Celia Rico (Spain/France)

Silver Biznaga for Best Directing
Isaki Lacuesta and Pol Rodríguez – Saturn Return

Silver Biznaga for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Lola Amores – La mujer salvaje (Cuba)

Silver Biznaga for Best Actor in a Leading Role (ex aequo)
Luis Zahera - Birds Flying East [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
scheda film] (Spain/Romania)
Joaquín Furriel – Descansar en paz (Argentina)

Silver Biznaga for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Adriana Ozores – Little Loves

Silver Biznaga for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Gabriel Goity – Descansar en paz

Silver Biznaga for Best Screenwriting
Álex Montoya and Joana M. Ortueta – La casa [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Award for Best Original Score
Fernando Velázquez – La casa

Silver Biznaga for Best Cinematography
Juan Carlos Martínez - Golán (Colombia)

Silver Biznaga for Best Editing
Javi Frutos – Saturn Return

Zonazine Competition

Silver Biznaga for Best Spanish Film
The Undergrowth [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Macu Machín
scheda film] – Macu Machín (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Ibero-American Film
The Major Tones [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] – Ingrid Pokropek (Argentina/Spain)

Silver Biznaga Award for Best Directing
Fernando Velázquez – La casa

Silver Biznaga for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Sofía Clausen – The Major Tones

Silver Biznaga for Best Actor in a Leading Role
Diego Solís – Lumbrensueño (Mexico)

Documentary Competition

Silver Biznaga for Best Documentary
Salvaxe, salvaxe – Emilio Fonseca (Spain)

Special Jury Mention
Hasta que se apague el sol – Jonás Brander (Colombia/Germany)

Silver Biznaga for Best Directing (ex aequo)
Carlos Essmann – Artefacto 71 (Spain)
Jonás Brander – Hasta que se apague el sol
Special Mention
Lucija Stojevic - Pepi Fandango [+leggi anche:
trailer
intervista: Lucija Stojević
scheda film] (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Audience Award
Saturno – Daniel Tornero (Spain)

Mosaico: Panorama Internacional

Silver Biznaga Audience Award for Best Film
Stella. A Life [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Kilian Riedhof
scheda film] - Kilian Riedhof (Germany/Austria/Switzerland)

Series

Silver Biznaga Audience Award
Nos vemos en otra vida - Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo (Spain)

Short Film Competitions

Fiction

Silver Biznaga for Best Short Film
El trono - Lucía Jiménez (Spain)

Special Jury Mention
Rutina - Roberto López (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Directing
David Pérez Sañudo – Agrio (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Ex aequo)
Roser Rendon Ena and Rasvely Lissette Donaire Restituyo - Cura sana (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for Best Actor in a Leading Role
Manu Baqueiro - El trono

Silver Biznaga Audience Award
Troleig - Luis E. Pérez Cuevas (Spain)

Documentary

Silver Biznaga for Best Documentary Short Film
Els buits - Sofia Esteve, Isa Luengo and Marina Freixa Roca (Spain)

Special Jury Mentions
Un mergulho em agua fría - Raquel Marques (Spain/Portugal)
Those Next To Us - Benhard Hetzenauer (Austria/Mexico/Germany/Switzerland)

Silver Biznaga Audience Award
Viaje alrededor de mi ordenador - Daniel Natoli (Spain)

Animazine

Silver Biznaga for Best Animation Short Film
Homework - Nacho Arjona (Spain)

Special Jury Mention
Cafuné - Lorena Ares and Carlos F. de Vigo (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Audience Award
Homework - Nacho Arjona

Málaga

Best Fiction Short Film Award
Alicia - Tony Morales (Spain)

Special Jury Mention
Los horrores de la guerra - Manolo Orellana Naranjo (Spain)

Award for the Best Documentary, Animation or Experimental Short Film
Ciao Bambina - Afioco Gnecco and Carolina Yuste (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Audience Award
Los horrores de la guerra - Manolo Orellana Naranjo

Other Awards

Silver Biznaga Special Critics’ Jury Award of Feature Films in Competition
Nina [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Andrea Jaurrieta
scheda film] – Andrea Jaurrieta (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Audience Award Feature Film in Competition
La casa – Álex Montoya

Silver Biznaga Audience Award of Zonazine Competition
Orgullo vieja – Chema Rodríguez (Spain)

‘Escuelas de Cine’ Award for Best Feature Film of Zonazine
La zona vacía - Kurro González (Spain)

UMA’s Young Jury Award for Best Feature Film in Official Section
La casa - Álex Montoya

Asecan Debut Film Award of Feature Films in Official Section
We Treat Women Too Well [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] - Clara Bilbao (Spain/France)

‘Feroz Puerta Oscura 2024’ Award for Best Feature Film in Official Selection
La casa - Álex Montoya

Signis Award
Radical - Cristopher Zalla
Special Mention
La casa - Álex Montoya

Málaga Cinema Awards

Biznaga Málaga Cinema Film Professions
Rafael Robles (Rafatal)

Biznaga Málaga Cinema for Best Actress
Stephanie Magnin

Biznaga Málaga Cinema for Best Actor
Carlos Scholz

Grants to the Production
Aire comprimido - Virginia Muñoz e Isa Sánchez (€5,000)
Desde Nueva York - Irene Téllez (€4,000)
Escenario invisible - Juan Rueda (€4,000)
Eugenio y yo - Víctor Samaniego (€3,500)
La hora escrita - Coke Arijo (€6,000)
No estamos locos - Lucía Criado Rosas (€6,000)
No Limits - Alicia Torrent (€6,000)
Romance de la Luna, Luna - Jimena R. Herrera (€3,500)
Roshni - Rohit Bhagwan Narwani (€6,000)
Tarde y mal - Nuria Cabello y Marga Dorao (€5,000)

‘Asserting Women's Rights’ Awards

Silver Biznaga First Prize
Don’t Leave Me Like This - Ceres Machado (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Special Jury Award
La mujer ilustrada - Isabel Herguera (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Audience Award for Best Documentary
Camino Roya. Un mapa de ida y vuelta - Rocío Rodríguez Cruz (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Women on Stage for Best Fiction (ex aequo)
Sampo - Marziyeh Riah (Iran)
Lava - Carmen Jiménez (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Women on Stage for Best Acting
Ana de Alva - Algo permanente (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Women on Stage for Best Documentary
La ilusión de la abundancia - Erika González Ramírez, Matthieu Liataert (Belgium/Peru/Honduras/Brazil)

Silver Biznaga Women on Stage Audience Award
Amarradas - Carmen Córdoba (Spain)

Cinema Cocina Awards

Silver Biznaga for Best Feature Film
Binu, historia de dues estrellas - Guillem Cabra and Mar Clapés (Spain)

Silver Biznaga for the Best Short Film
Oro rojo - Milton Ferreira (Argentina)

Silver Biznaga Audience Award for Best Feature Film
Villa Málaga. El tiempo de vino - Eterio Ortega Santillana (Spain)

Silver Biznaga Audience Award for Best Short Film
Big Red - Carlos González de la Peña (Spain)