This past week we have already learned the short-list for the 2018 Goya Awards. In total, 35 short films have been selected: 10 animation and documentary, and 15 fiction.
As in recent years, there are several selected short films that I am distributing, so that has been good news on that front. In any case, there are short films that are missed, some of them with a significant international trajectory, but the selection is limited, and all of them deserve to have made it this far:
Fiction
- Ainhoa, directed by Iván Sáinz-Pardo.
- Australia, directed by Lino Escalera.
- Baraka, directed by Néstor Ruiz Medina.
- Como yo te amo, directed by Fernando García-Ruiz.
- El hombre de Agua Dulce, directed by Álvaro Ron.
- El mundo entero, directed by Julián Quintanilla.
- Elegía, directed by Alba Tejero.
- Extraños en la carretera, directed by Carlos Solano.
- Fugit, directed by Marta Bayarri.
- Madre, directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen.
- Néboa, directed by Claudia Costafreda.
- Ni una sola línea, directed by Víctor E. D. Somoza.
- Queimafobia, directed by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo.
- Un lugar, directed by Iván Fernández de Córdoba.
- Vernon Walks, directed by Santiago Zannou.
Documentary
- Bolingo. El bosque del amor, directed by Alejandro González Salgado.
- Cucli, directed by Xavier Marrades.
- Gure Hormek, directed by Maider Fernández Iriarte and María Elorza Deias.
- Los desheredados, directed by Laura Ferrés.
- Luis & I, directed by Dani Resines and Roger Gómez.
- Ni siquiera una rosa, directed by César Martínez.
- Primavera rosa en México, directed by Mario de la Torre.
- Sheroes, directed by Carlos Caro.
- The Fourth Kingdom, directed by Adán Aliaga and Álex Lora.
- Tribus de la inquisición, directed by Mabel Lozano.
Animation
- Beti bezperako koplak, directed by Begoña Vicario, Ibon Markaida, Kote Camacho, Arrate López, Izibena Oñederra, Mariñe Arbeo, Oihana Leunda, Aitor Oñederra, Ximon Agirre, Jon Zurimendi, Xara Agirre, Irantzu Yaldebere, Andere Molinuevo, Iosune Etxarte, Malen Amenabar, Naiara Zuria Mauleon, Zaloa Ipiña, Alorts Arregi, Roberto Zabarte and Jon Munarriz
- Camino de agua para un pez, directed by Mercedes Marro
- Colores, directed by Sami Natsheh and Arly Jones
- Down to the Wire, directed by Juan Carlos Mostaza.
- El ermitaño, directed by Raúl Díez
- Impromptu, directed by María Lorenzo
- Morning Cowboy, directed by Fernando Pomares.
- The Neverending Wall, directed by Silvia Carpizo.
- Un día en el parque, directed.
- Woody & Woody, directed by Jaume Carrió.
This is a brief analysis of the selection, offering some considerations regarding both the selected films and the submission and selection process:
Submission is key
In the weeks leading up to the submission deadline, I saw how some directors and producers kept requesting festival certificates. They thought it was better to send all of them, in case having several qualifying festivals was valued.
However, after the selected films were announced, it became clear that the number of selections allowing submission matters little; what’s truly important is being able to submit, whether with six national selections, an award, or an international selection from the listed festivals.
Keep in mind that some short films are pre-selected with only one award, while others were left out despite having multiple selections at Oscar-qualifying festivals.
So, bear this in mind and don’t waste time; if you have the option to submit next year, submit the minimum required for registration.
The Academy Committee
In the post I published last year, I already commented on the need to know the members of the committee, but once again, it remains a secret, which is difficult to understand.
The ICAA grant committees and festival juries are always known, as are the members of the French Academy committee for the César Awards.
Why not the Academy committee for the 2018 Goya Awards?
At the very least, statistics on submitted short films could be published; it would be of great help in understanding the state of short filmmaking in Spain.
The Submission Date
The week before the submission deadline was very difficult. The change in dates that occurred a few years ago, from October 15 to September 29, has harmed some short films and created a complicated situation for festivals.
Although it may seem an unimportant change, it is significant.
It turns out that in the first half of October, the selections for at least eight festivals on the Goya Awards list are usually announced. These would be the festivals of Soria, Huelva, Almeria, Zaragoza, Alcine, Aguilar de Campoo, Cortada, and Vila de Noia. This means that many short films are awaiting these selections to know if they can participate or not.
Therefore, the current dates have caused some festivals to rush their deliberations, while others could not, leaving out short films that, by a matter of days, could have been submitted this year.
This problem can be easily solved by moving the submission deadline back to October 15; I believe it would be beneficial for everyone.
The Age of Spanish Short Films
It seems that a certain aging of Spanish short films is confirmed, as already pointed out in May by Cortosfera magazine.
The average age of directors of selected fiction short films exceeds 35, with an average of 37.4 years: Iván Sáinz-Pardo (44), Nestor Ruiz Medina (29), Fernando García-Ruiz (48), Julian Quintanilla (42), Alba Tejero (26), Carlos Solano (29), Claudia Costafreda (25), Daniel Sanchez Arévalo (47), Iván Fernández de Córdoba (27), Santiago Zannou (40), Rodrigo Sorogoyen (36), Víctor E.D. Somoza (37), Lino Escalera (43), Marta Bayarri (44), and Alvaro Ron (45). Half of these directors are over 40.
Furthermore, both Daniel Sanchez Arévalo and Santiago Zannou were nominated for their short films (Exprés and Cara sucia) in 2003 and 2004 respectively, 14 and 13 years ago now.
It would be necessary to analyze what is happening for the average age of short film directors to increase every year. It must be taken into account that, among many other things, short films are the breeding ground and the future of Spanish cinema.
What do you think of the short film selection? Have you encountered any problems in the process that could be improved?
See you in the comments.