The Catalan director, who already won the Grand Prix of the Kplus Generation in 2017 with her debut “Verano 1993”, is the first Spanish filmmaker to obtain this triumph in Berlin

Carla Simón has won the Golden Bear, the highest award at the Berlinale, for her film “Alcarràs”, an award that Spanish cinema has not received since 1983, when Mario Camus won it with “La colmena”. Simón is also the first Spanish filmmaker to achieve this.

A drama about a family of Catalan farmers facing eviction from their land, "Alcarràs" received the award this Wednesday, February 16, from the president of the jury, M. Night Shyamalan.

The film, which incorporates a group of non-professional actors, was one of the last titles in competition to be presented at the festival.

After its premiere on the 15th, it emerged as a great favorite for the Golden Bear, obtaining the unanimous admiration of the critics, who highlighted it as a modest but emotionally moving film.

“Alcarràs” is a production by María Zamora, Stefan Schmitz, Tono Folguera and Sergi Moreno for the companies Avalon P.C., Elástica Films, Vilaüt Films and Alcarràs Film AIE, in co-production with the Italian company Kino Produzioni.

The French agency MK2 Films manages the international sales of the film, which is already assured of distribution in France through Pyramide Distribution.

Clara Simón debuted with the autobiographical film “Verano 1993”, with which she won the Best First Feature Award and the Kplus Generation Grand Prix at the Berlinale 2017.

Then came other awards such as the best film at the Malaga Festival, her selection as a Spanish candidate for the Oscars in 2018, as well as three Goya Awards.

The good international moment of Spanish cinema

The success of Carla Simón confirms the good moment that Spanish cinematography is going through in the international arena, which may be reinforced on March 27 at the Oscars ceremony of the Hollywood Academy, in which four Spanish nominees participate - Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Alberto Iglesias and Alberto Mielgo.

Bardem was nominated for playing Cuban actor and musician Desi Arnaz in Aaron Sorkin's “Being the Ricardos”; Penélope Cruz is nominated for best actress for her role in Pedro Almodóvar's "Madres Paralleles", for which she has already won the Volpi Cup for best actress at the Venice Film Festival and recognition as best actress according to the critics of Los Angels.

For his part, the musician Alberto Iglesias aspires to the Oscar for "Parallel Mothers", which is also his fourth Oscar nomination. Alberto Mielgo, winner of four Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards, will compete for the animated short film “The Wiper”, a Spain-United States co-production of his company Pinkman TV with Leo Sanchez Studio.