The death of Carlos Saura this Friday has shocked the world of cinema just the day before the celebration of the 37th edition of the Goya Awards, a gala in which he was to receive the honorary award.
While the Film Academy did not want to reveal any adjustment to the rundown last night, several of the nominees who will sit in the stalls were already talking about the change of spirit that will permeate the ceremony.
Filmmakers such as Pilar Palomero, Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, Juan Diego Botto, Carla Simón or Alberto Rodríguez will applaud from the seats of the Fibes, the Seville conference and exhibition palace, the figure of the latest classic of Spanish cinema.
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Carlos Saura dies at the age of 91, the last classic director of Spanish cinema
Palomero, a candidate for best film and direction for
La Maternal,
explains: “It is very sad that he was not able to enjoy this tribute, and at the same time I think he says goodbye in style.
With the entire industry, with the entire cinema reminding him more than ever.
It seems to me a nice way to say goodbye to life, with all the colleagues giving Saura the honors she deserves ”.
For Alberto Rodríguez, nominated for best film, direction and original screenplay with
Modelo 77,
"the gala will breathe the same admiration that his cinema has always provoked in us."
The Sevillian, who receives the 37th edition of the awards at his house, recounts: “They are the festival of Spanish cinema, and more so this year, and it hurts that it has happened like this.
On the other hand, it is the moment in which we should highlight his figure, because he is one of the greatest filmmakers this country has ever had.
Let's vindicate him."
Or as Carla Simón, the winner of the Berlin Golden Bear (a festival that Saura also won) and finalist at the Goya for best film, direction and original screenplay with Alcarràs, explains: “The ceremony will be impregnated
with
her absence”.
Carlos Saura, with the Biznaga de Honor from the hands of Carla Simón, in March 2022 at the Malaga festival. Daniel Pérez (EFE)
Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, triple candidate with
Cinco lobitos
in film, novel direction and original script, he also hopes that "the Academy will make an effort to rethink the ceremony, although I don't know how much flexibility they have in a televised gala."
And she points out: "I am touched, he was an inspiring man, who seemed eternal, who continued to create after his 91 years."
Of course, “the moment deserves it, and I sense that all the nominees and in general all the guests, who already understood that the Goya de Honor was one of the high points of the ceremony, know how to give that well-deserved tribute.
He was a figure highly appreciated by the following generations ”.
Juan Diego Botto, candidate for new director for
En los márgenes,
tells of his emotions: “The entire ceremony pays homage to him and his cinema, to what it has meant to the rest.
Not only is he one of the most relevant Spanish filmmakers, he is unquestionably one of the greats of 20th century European cinema.
Now it already seems irrelevant if he wins
As bestas
or
Alcarràs,
now what is relevant is to make it Carlos Saura's day”.
The actor, screenwriter and director takes his reflection further: "Sometimes we academics do not honor our elders on time, and this Goya de Honor was for an active creator [Saura premiered the documentary Las paredes hablan on February
3
and the work Lorca de Saura is on tour
],
that two weeks ago he premiered his latest documentary”.
In the last month, Carlos Saura's state of health worsened to the point that last weekend he said goodbye to his friends.
Moment in which the photo was taken with the Goya de Honor that was distributed yesterday by the Film Academy.
Committed to the end with the cinema, he asked a few days ago that his relatives (his widow, the actress Eulalia Ramón) and one of his children (seven) collect the statuette in Seville.
Two of them, Antonio, the second, and Anna, the youngest, were in the Andalusian capital for the event.
They will be the ones to pick him up, as Antonio confirmed to Efe last night: “He asked us for Eulalia to be there, I don't know if she will finally be there, I hope so, together with Anna and me.
My brother Carlos is very shy”.
And about the gala, he explained: "It's a movie party, and my father was a movie man,
and many of the people nominated represent a movie model that he was very proud of.
I think what it has to be is a celebration.”
The burning chapel will be installed on Monday at the Spanish Film Academy.
In a statement released shortly after his death, the Academy defined itself as "very moved by the death of Carlos Saura, one of the great directors in the history of Spanish cinema."
The phrase comes from its president, Fernando Méndez-Leite, who personally noted: "I am very affected, because I had the pleasure of knowing and dealing with Carlos for many years, whom I considered a teacher and a friend."
Finally, the Academy explained that the award ceremony of the Goya de Honor will continue, as it could not be less, which will now be posthumous.
It will be the third time that such an event has occurred: it already happened at the time with Emiliano Piedra (1992) and the actor Rafael Alonso (1999).
On January 22nd, the Catalan Film Academy suffered something similar when, 12 hours after its Gaudí awards gala, the death of Mallorcan director Agustí Villaronga was announced.
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