Javier Bardem Leads ‘The Good Boss’ to Record-Setting Spanish Academy Goya Nomination Haul

Already selected as this year’s Spanish Best International Feature Film submission for the Oscars, Fernando León de Aranoa’s dark workplace comedy “The Good Boss,” starring Javier Bardem, has set a new record for most Spanish Academy Goya Award nominations with 20, ahead of Icíar Bollaín’s standout Basque drama “Maixabel” with 14 and Pedro Almodóvar’s “Parallel Mothers,” which secured eight.

The 20 nominations include: Best picture, director, original screenplay, original music, lead actor, three nominations for supporting actor, supporting actress, two nominations for best new male actor and one for best new female actor, production design, cinematography, editing, art direction, costume design, makeup, sound design and special effects. It’s a total which breaks an almost 30-year-old record held by Imanol Uribe’s “Numbered Days,” which received 19 nominations in 1994.

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León’s latest, produced by The Mediapro Studio and Reposado PC, is a return to a fruitful partnership between the director and his leading man. In 2002, the two worked together on “Mondays in the Sun,” which that year also pipped another Almodóvar title, “Talk to Her,” to the Spanish Oscar submission. More recently, the two teamed on “Loving Pablo” in 2017, where Bardem starred next to “Parallel Mothers” lead Penelope Cruz.

Penelope Cruz has already struck gold with her performance in “Parallel Mothers,” winning Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival this summer. She’s nominated for the same prize at this year’s Goyas and the bettor’s favorite to take home the prize.

One of San Sebastian’s best-reviewed premieres, “Maixabel” took the fest’s prize for Best Basque Film and has been one of the year’s biggest domestic arthouse hits at the box office, surpassing the landmark $3 million haul.

Another of this year’s major Spanish cinematic success stories, Clara Roquet’s “Libertad,” a Cannes Critics’ Week player produced by Bulletproof Cupid and Avalon Distribution Audivisual, scored half a dozen Goya nominations, as did Daniel Monzón’s “The Laws of the Border,” a ‘70s-set drama about a young man who falls in with a dangerous crowd produced by Atresmedia Cine.

This year’s 36th edition of the awards will take place on Feb. 12 in Valencia. This year’s ceremony will emulate last year’s Oscars, forgoing the traditional one or two presenter setup and instead opting for an ensemble presentation of the evening’s prizes. Alongside the awards for films released in over the last year, the Goyas will recognize actor José Sacristán with the Goya of Honor for career achievement. With nearly six decades of on-screen credits to his name, Sacristán’s Best Actor Goya came in 2013 for his work in Javier Rebollo’s “The Dead Man and Being Happy.” Now, at 84 years old, he remains as active as ever, having acted in “Cuidado con lo que deseas,” a Christmas film released earlier this month, as well as several of Spain’s most successful series in recent years: “High Seas” and “Velvet Collection.”

Additionally, this year’s ceremony will pay special tribute to one of Spain’s greatest-ever filmmakers, Luis García Berlanga, a native of Valencia, and director of increasingly acid comedies pillorying the frustrations and humiliations of the society that dictator Francisco Franco’s regime created.

2022 Spanish Academy Goya Nominations

BEST PICTURE

“The Good Boss,” (Fernando León de Aranoa)

“Libertad,” (Clara Roquet)

“Parallel Mothers,” (Pedro Almodóvar)

“Maixabel,” (Iciar Bollain)

“Mediterráneo,” (Marcel Barrena)

DIRECTOR

Fernando León de Aranoa, (“The Good Boss”)

Manuel Martín Cuenca, (“The Daughter”)

Pedro Almodóvar, (“Parallel Mothers”)

Iciar Bollain, (“Maixabel”)

ACTOR

Javier Bardem, (“The Good Boss”)

Javier Gutiérrez, (“The Daughter”)

Luis Tosar, (“Maixabel”)

Eduard Fernández, (“Mediterráneo”)

ACTRESS

Emma Suárez, (“Josefina”)

Petra Martínez, (“La vida era eso”)

Penélope Cruz, (“Parallel Mothers”)

Blanca Portillo, (“Maixabel”)

NEW DIRECTOR

Carol Rodríguez Colás, (“Chavalas”)

Javier Marco Rico, (“Josefina”)

David Martín de los Santos, (“La vida era eso”)

Clara Roquet, (“Libertad”)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Fernando León de Aranoa, (“The Good Boss”)

Clara Roquet, (“Libertad”)

Iciar Bollain, Isa Campo, (“Maixabel”)

Juanjo Giménez Peña, Pere Altimira, (“Tres”)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Júlia de Paz Solvas, Núria Dunjó López (“Ama”)

Agustí Villaronga (“El vientre del mar”)

Daniel Monzón, Jorge Guerricaechevarría (“Las leyes de la frontera”)

Benito Zambrano, Cristina Campos (“Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake”)

ORIGINAL MUSIC

Zeltia Montes, (“The Good Boss”)

Fatima Al Qadiri, (“La abuela”)

Alberto Iglesias, (“Maixabel”)

Arnau Bataller, (“Mediterráneo”)

ORIGINAL SONG

Àngel Leiro, Jean-Paul Dupeyron, Xavier Capellas, (“Álbum de posguerra”)

Antonio Orozco, Jordi Colell Pinillos, (“El cover”)

Alejandro García Rodríguez, Antonio Molinero León, Daniel Escortell Blandino, José Manuel Cabrera Escot, Miguel García Cantero, (“Las leyes de la frontera”)

Maria José Llergo, (“Mediterráneo”)

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Celso Bugallo. (“The Good Boss”)

Fernando Albizu, (“The Good Boss”)

Manolo Solo, (“The Good Boss,”)

Urko Olazabal, (“Maixabel”)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Sonia Almarcha, (“The Good Boss”)

Nora Navas, (“Libertad”)

Aitana Sánchez Gijón (“Parallel Mothers”)

Milena Smit, (“Parallel Mothers”)

NEW ACTOR

Óscar de la Fuente, (“The Good Boss”)

Tarik Rmili, (“The Good Boss,”)

Chechu Salgado (“Las leyes de la frontera”)

Jorge Motos (“Lucas”)

NEW ACTRESS

Ángela Cervantes, (“Chavalas”)

Almudena Amor, (“The Good Boss”)

Nicolle García, (“Libertad”)

María Cerezuela, (“Maixabel”)

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Óscar Vigiola, (“Love Gets a Room”)

Luis Gutiérrez, (“The Good Boss”)

Guadalupe Balaguer Trelles, (“Maixabel”)

Albert Espel, Kostas Seakianakis, (“Mediterráneo”)

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Pau Esteve Birba, (“The Good Boss”)

Gris Jordana, (“Libertad”)

José Luis Alcaine, (“Parallel Mothers”)

Kiko de la Rica, (“Mediterráneo”)

EDITING

Antonio Frutos, (“Bajocero”)

Vanessa L. Marimbert, (“The Good Boss”)

Miguel Doblado, (“Josefina”)

Nacho Ruiz Capillas, (“Maixabel”)

ART DIRECTION

César Macarrón, (“The Good Boss”)

Balter Gallart, (“Las leyes de la frontera”)

Antxón Gómez, (“Parallel Mothers”)

Mikel Serrano, (“Maixabel”)

COSTUME DESIGN

Alberto Valcárcel, (“Love gets a room”)

Fernando García, (“The Good Boss”)

Vinyet Escobar, (“Las leyes de la frontera”)

Clara Bilbao, (“Maixabel”)

MAKEUP

Almudena Fonseca, Manolo García, (“The Good Boss”)

Sarai Rodríguez, Benjamín Pérez, Nacho Díaz, (“Las leyes de la frontera”)

Eli Adánez, Sergio Pérez Berbel, Nacho Díaz, (“Libertad”)

Karmele Soler, Sergio Pérez Berbel, (“Maixabel”)

SOUND DESIGN

Iván Marín, Pelayo Gutiérrez, Valeria Arcieri, (“The Good Boss”)

Sergio Bürmann, Laia Casanovas, Marc Orts, (“Parallel Mothers”)

Alazne Ameztoy, Juan Ferro, Candela Palencia, (“Maixabel”)

Daniel Fontrodona, Oriol Tarragó, Marc Bech, Marc Orts, (“Tres”)

SPECIAL EFFECTS

Raúl Romanillos, Míriam Piquer, (“The Good Boss”)

Raúl Romanillos, Ferran Piquer, (“La abuela”)

Àlex Villagrasa, (“Mediterráneo”)

Pau Costa, Laura Pedro, (“Way Down”)

ANIMATED FEATURE

“Gora automatikoa,” (Esaú Dharma, David Galán Galindo, Pablo Vara)

“Mironins,” (Álex Cervantes, Ángel Coronado, Anton Roebben, Eric Goossens, Iván Agenjo, Mikel Mas)

“Salvar el árbol (Zutik!)” (Carmelo Vivanco, Egoitz Rodríguez, Fernando Alonso, Jonatan Guzmán, Nelson Botter)

“Valentina,” (Brandán de Brano, Chelo Loureiro, Luís da Matta, Mariano Baratech, Noa García)

IBEROAMERICAN FEATURE

“Canción sin nombre,” (Melina León, Peru)

“La cordillera de los sueños,” (Patricio Guzmán, Chile)

“Las siamesas,” (Paula Hernández, Argentina)

“Los lobos,” (Samuel Kishi, Mexico)

EUROPEAN FEATURE

“Bye Bye Morons,” (Albert Dupontel, France)

“I’m Your Man,” (Maria Schrader, Germany)

“Another Round,” (Thomas Vinterberg, Dinamarca)

“Promising Young Woman” (Emerald Fennell, United Kingdom)

FICTION SHORT

“Farrucas,” (Ian de la Rosa)

“Mindanao,” (Borja Soler)

“Tótem loba,” (Verónica Echegui)

“Votamos,” (Santiago Requejo)

“Yalla,” (Carlo D’Ursi)

DOCUMENTARY

“The Return: Life After ISIS,” (Alba Sotorra)

“Heroes. Silence and Rock and Roll,” (Alexis Morante)

“Quién lo impide,” (Jonás Trueba)

“Tehran Blues,” (Javier Tolentino)

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

“Dajla: cine y olvido,” (Arturo Dueñas Herrero)

“Figurante,” (Nacho Fernández)

“Mamá,” (Pablo de la Chica)

“Ulisses,” (Joan Bover)

ANIMATED SHORT

“Nacer,” (Roberto Valle)

“Proceso de selección,” (Carla Pereira)

“The Monkey,” (Lorenzo Degl’Innocenti, Xosé Zapata)

“Umbrellas,” (José Prats)

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