La Academia.

Jose here.


- Cast and crew of Celda 211 -

If you think Oscar announcers make too many unnecessary remarks and mention damn useless trivia -the winner loved yellow minivans growing up- but still couldn't live without them, you would have fallen in love with the announcer for the Goya Awards.

The Spanish Academy presented its awards for the best of 2009 in a lavish, commercial free, ceremony last night where prison drama Celda 211 swept with eight Goyas including Best Picture, Director, Actor and Supporting Actress followed closely by Alejandro Amenábar's Agora which won most of the techs.

But if you were judging from what the announcer had to say you wouldn't have had an inkling of what was going on as the winners took the stage.
Like a gossipy insider he told us everything that would've otherwise been delivered only through whispers.

When Raúl Arévalo won Best Supporting Actor for Gordos the shocked announcer made us aware of the fact that nobody thought he would win after which he proceeded to describe him as the Spanish Sean Penn for his looks and versatility.

Then when Pedro Almodóvar took the stage to present Best Picture (in one of the night's most surprising moments) the announcer didn't hesitate to point out how Pedro had been snubbing the Academy for years and this could mean he was trying to make peace with them.
Pedro did him justice and after receiving a standing ovation showed off his diva side by stating that Academy president Alex de la Iglesia had practically begged him to make an appearance by stating how he would attend the Oscars and neglected his own country.
He then stated how he would've liked to win Best Original screenplay (one of the awards Broken Embraces was up for) but had been told in advance he'd lose.
Gotta love his honesty...

But of course both the announcer and the camera crew had a ball with Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem. The secretive couple made their first public appearance together after almost three years of beginning their relationship.
They walked the red carpet separately but sat next to each other in the front row (both of them were presenters and Javier got such loud applauding you would've thought he'd won something).
They conspicuously disappeared for long parts of the show, leaving empty seats between Jordi Mollá and Lola Dueñas (who won best actress for Yo También) and I'm sure if the announcer had known what they were doing he wouldn't have hesitated to let us know.

Anyone else spent their Valentine's Day with Spanish cinema? If so, what did you think of the winners and the ceremony? Happy to see Pedro in good favor with his national academy? Are you expecting Pe to bring Javier to the Oscars?