Catalonia's film awards, the Premis Gaudí have certified the good health of Catalan cinema directed by women, with two social portraits of everyday life scooping the most important statuettes: Sis dies corrents by Neus Ballús (English title: The Odd-job Men), and Libertad, by Clara Roquet (English title the same, as it's the name of the protagonist). Among the five awards which Ballús's movie collected are the prizes for best film, best director, best editing, best male actor for Mohamed Mellali and best male supporting actor for Valero Escolar - both of these acting award winners being plumbers by profession who were playing similar roles in the film. Libertad won the awards for best non-Catalan language film, best screenplay, best female actor for the young Maria Morera and best photography; and as well, four awards went to Mediterráneo (in English, "Mediterraneo: The Law of the Sea") and three to Las leyes de la frontera ("Outlaw") to complete the list of major winners.
Social and female
The movie that chronicles a week of work by three plumbers on the outskirts of Barcelona, conceived by Neus Ballús, shared prominence with Clara Roquet's portrait of the friendship between two teenagers of different origins and realities during a summer on the Costa Brava. The Catalan movie industry's 14th annual gala thus confirmed the appreciation of the Acadèmia del Cinema Català, for the work of both directors: Ballús also took the double of best film and best direction in 2013 for La plaga (The Plague), while Roquet has two Gaudí statuettes: the best screenplay for 10,000 km (Long Distance), shared with Carlos Marqués-Marcet in 2014, and the best short film of 2015, El adiós (The Goodbye).
In collecting the best director award, Ballús vindicated female talent in cinema. "Women have come to the movies not only to make first features, but to stay," she said. At the same time, she celebrated that the son of Morrocan-born plumber - and now best Catalan actor - Mohamed Mellali, who accompanied his father to collect his award, will have the opportunity to "direct cinema and be up here in ten years and that has made me very happy", she concluded.
The Gaudí Awards statuettes are modelled on architect Antoni Gaudí's famous Casa Milà chimneys. Photo: ACN
Other protagonists
The list of awards also distinguished four other feature films. Mediterráneo (in English, "Mediterraneo: The Law of the Sea"), telling the true story of the refugee rescue organization Open Arms, directed by Marcel Barrena, won the Gaudís for best original music, best production direction, best visual effects and the special audience award. "I shot the film that I thought the audience had to see," Barrema admitted as he picked up the statuette.
The eponymous adaptation of Javier Cercas' novel Las leyes de la frontera ("Outlaw" in English), director Daniel Monzón's tribute to the culture of the quinquis - criminal youth gangs of the 1970s, subject of a film sub-genre at the time - and set in Girona, which started as the most nominated film, won awards for best artistic direction, best costume, best makeup and hairdressing. A Gaudí also went to Tres, appropriately enough for best sound, given that the movie focuses on a sound engineer afflicted by a distressing aural delay.
El retorn, la vida després de l’ISIS, by Alba Sotorra, won best documentary, and the film by debutant Carol Rodríguez Colás, Chavalas, picked up the Gaudí for best female supporting actor for Ángela Cervantes. Completing the list were Mironins, a film fable with characters inspired by the painting of Joan Miró won the Gaudí for best animated film, Ian de la Rosa's Farrucas took the statuette for best short film and Frederica Montseny, la dona que parla, directed by Laura Mañá, won the best television film. Director of photography Tomàs Pladevall collected a Gaudí for his lifetime achievement. Despite starting as one of the favourites - and having cleaned up the awards at last year's Málaga Film Festival - El ventre del mar (The Belly of the Sea), by Agustí Villaronga, left empty-handed.
Mohamed Mellali won the best actor Gaudí for his role in Sis dies corrents (The Odd-Job Men). Photo: ACN
A gala of protest
The gala, held in Barcelona's MNAC with more than 1,300 guests, was tinged with protests against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and as well there was no shortage of fond references to Catalan musician Pau Riba, who died on Sunday morning. The president of the Catalan academy, Judith Colell, and members of its board Maria Molins and Carlos R. Ríos, in a choral speech, asserted the "brilliant" moment which Catalan cinema is passing through, a clear reference to the award-winning Alcarràs, by Carla Simón - which won in the Berlinale but was not in the running for this year's Catalan awards. Colell called for filmmakers to "shoot more" in Catalan. "We have talent but we are coming out of a difficult time. Don't forget cinema or culture," he said. She also criticized the Russian invasion of Ukraine: "no to war, to all wars or war in any situation."
Ukrainian actress Polina Dzhakaieva, who attended the gala and presented a statuette, also spoke about the current situation in her homeland. "They can destroy our homes and our bridges, they can take our lives. But cinema will always be here to break through the lies, madness and bloodlust. Freedom and culture always win!" said Dzhakaieva, words that were received with a standing ovation.
It was also announced during the ceremony that the Catalan audiovisual and performing arts sector is to create a department for attention to and prevention of sexual abuse, the first such initiative in the sector in the Spanish state. The plan has the support of Barcelona city council, Barcelona provincial council, and the Catalan government.