Pedro Almodovar’s Oscar-nominated “Pain and Glory” was the big winner at the 34th Goya Awards, Spain’s top film honours, held in Malaga on Saturday night, going home with seven awards including best actor for Antonio Banderas, best director for Almodovar and best film.

Banderas, who first collaborated with Almodovar in 1982’s “Labyrinth of Passion”, thanked the director for their nearly 40 years of collaboration.

“I have learnt so much from you, not only about art but about life…I’ve done my best work with you,” Banderas said while collecting the award, adding he hoped the pair would continue to work together in the future.

The win puts “Pain and Glory”, about an ageing film director, as a strong favourite for the best international feature film Oscar, while Banderas will go up against actors including Joaquin Phoenix and Leonardo DiCaprio in the best actor category at the ceremony held in Los Angeles on February 9.

Penelope Cruz, who also stars in Almodovar’s film, lost out in the race for best actress, which went to Belen Cuesta for “The Endless Trench”.

“Pain and Glory’s” other wins included best-supporting actress for Julieta Serrano and best original screenplay for Almodovar.

Alejandro Amenabar’s Spanish Civil War drama “While at War” won five awards including best-supporting actor for Eduard Fernandez.

The ceremony was attended by Spanish political as well as acting royalty – Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was in the audience and was singled out several times by presenters and winners – including Almodovar – who urged him to do more to protect culture and cinema in Spain.

The award for best European film went to France’s “Les Misérables”, while Argentina’s “Heroic Losers” won best Latin American Film.

One of the surprises of the night was the award for the best new actress, which went to 84-year-old Benedicta Sanchez for her first-ever role in Oliver Laxe’s Galician-language “Fire Will Come”. Sanchez thanked her daughter for taking her to the audition.

2020 Goya Awards

And the winners are:

PICTURE

“Pain and Glory” (Pedro Almodóvar)

DIRECTOR

Pedro Almodóvar

BREAKOUT DIRECTOR

Belén Funes (“A Thief’s Daughter”)

ACTRESS

Belén Cuesta (“The Endless Trench”)

ACTOR

Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Julieta Serrano (“Pain and Glory”)

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Eduard Fernández (“While at War”)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Pedro Almodóvar

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Benito Zambrano, Daniel Remón and Pablo Remón (“Out in the Open”)

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Mauro Hercé (“Fire Will Come”)

ORIGINAL MUSIC

Alberto Iglesias (“Pain and Glory”)

ORIGINAL SONG

“Intemperie” by Javier Ruibal (“Out in the Open”)

NEW ACTOR

Enric Auquer (“Eye for an Eye”)

NEW ACTRESS

Benedicta Sánchez (“Fire Will Come”)

ANIMATED FEATURE

“Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles” (Salvador Simó)

IBEROAMERICAN FILM

“Heroic Losers” (Sebastián Borensztein, Argentina)

EUROPEAN FILM

“Les Misérables” (Ladj Ly, France)

DOCUMENTARY

“Ara Malikian: una vida entre las cuerdas” (Nata Moreno)

HONORARY GOYA

Pepa Flores (“Marisol”)

LIVE-ACTION SHORT FILM

“Suc de Síndria” (Irene Moray)

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

“Madrid 2120” (José Luís Quirós, Paco Sáez)

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

“Our Life as Refugee Children in Europe” (Silvia Venegas)

EDITING

Teresa Font (“Pain and Glory”)

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Carla Pérez de Albéniz (“While at War”)

COSTUME DESIGN

Sonia Grande (“While at War”)

ART DIRECTION

Juan Pedro de Gaspar (“While at War”)

SOUND

Iñaki Díez, Alazne Ameztoy, Xanti Salvador, Nacho Royo-Villanova (“The Endless Trench”)

MAKEUP AND HAIR DESIGN

Ana López-Puigcerver, Belén López-Puigcerver, Nacho Díaz (“While at War”)

SPECIAL EFFECTS

Mario Campoy, Iñaki Madariaga (“The Platform”)

Reuters