The José María Forqué Award is a prize acknowledging the artistic and technical merits of the best Spanish film productions of the year. It is now one of the most prestigious awards within the Spanish film industry, and every year, it brings together a great number of professionals from the audiovisual, political and cultural sectors. The Secret in Their Eyes [El secreto de sus ojos ], Agora [Ágora ], The Dancer and the Thief [El baile de la victoria] , Cell 211 [Celda 211 ] and Me, Too [Yo, también ] are the five finalists this year. On January 28th, at a gala evening hosted by actor Alex O’Dogherty and model and presenter Mar Flores, we will find out which is the winning film.

The results were announced by actress Natalia Verbeke and EGEDA Chariman Enrique Cerezo: Agora, Cell 211 [Celda 211 ], The Dancer and the Thief [El baile de la Victoria ], The Secret in Their Eyes [El secreto de sus ojos ] and Me, Too [Yo, también] are the five films selected by Spanish producers to compete for the José María Forqué Award for the best film production of the year, a prize which opens the Spanish film awards season.

The José María Forqué Award, established by EGEDA 15 years ago, has the aim of contributing to the promotion and dissemination of Spanish films and cinema. In this fifteenth edition the following were competing: 130 fiction feature films, 35 documentaries and 9 full-length animation films, all released between December 1, 2008 and November 30, 2009.

This year’s gala evening, which will be broadcast on TVE, will include for the first time two new prizes: the Best Performance Award, with male and female categories, created in collaboration with the AISGE foundation and the Press Association, to acknowledge the work of actors in Spanish feature films. These winners will be revealed on the gala night along with the others. They come with 3,000 euro in prize money for each category.

These are the five finalists this year:

Agora [Ágora] Release date: Octuber 9, 2009. Director: Alejandro Amenábar. Writers: Alejandro Amenábar y Mateo Gil. Produced by: Mod Producciones, Himenóptero productions y Telecinco Cinema. Performers: Rachel Weisz, Oscar Isaac, Max Minguella, Rupert Evans, Ashraf Barhom, Michel Lonsdale. Cinematography: Xavi Giménez. Editing: Nacho Ruiz Capillas. In the 4th century A.D., with Egypt under the Roman Empire, violent religious riots in the streets of Alexandria reach the legendary Library. Trapped within its walls, the brilliant astronomer Hypatia fights to save the wisdom of the Ancient World with the help of her disciples. Amongst these are two men who are rivals for her heart: Orestes and her young slave Davus, who must himself decide between his secret love for Hypatia and the freedom he could gain by throwing in his lot with the Christians, whose power is on the rise. There is no doubt that Agora has been one of the most anxiously awaited films this year. After a meteoric career while still very young, and winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for The Sea Inside [Mar Adentro ], Alejandro Amenábar got down to work on his most ambitious project to date. Five years later, the result is the most expensive film in the history of Spanish cinema, although shot in English. Together with colleague Mateo Gil, Amenábar has spun together a story set in 4th century Alexandria, and spent 50 million euro bringing the project to fruition in cinemas around the world.

Cell 211 [Celda 211] Release date: November 13, 2009 Director: Daniel Monzón. Writers: Jorge Guerricaechevarría, Daniel Monzón. Produced by: Vaca Films Studio, S.L., Morena Films, S.L., Telecinco Cinema, S.A., La Fabrique de Films-Testimonio Gráfico. Performers: Luis Tosar, Marta Etura, Alberto Amman, Antonio Resines, Carlos Bardem, Manuel Morón, Félix Cubero. Cinematography: Carles Gusi. Editing: Mapa Pastor. Juan, a civil servant in the prison service, arrives at his new post a day before he is to start work in his official capacity. There, he has an accident minutes before a riot breaks out in the high security section, containing the most dangerous and feared prisoners. His colleagues are busy trying to save their own skins and leave Juan’s unconscious body in Cell 211. On coming round, Juan realises what is happening and claims to be just another prisoner. From that moment on, he has to play it by ear to survive, using only his wits, inventiveness and daring, ignorant of the paradoxical trap destiny has laid for him. After the acclaimed film The Kovak Box [La caja Kovak ], young Daniel Monzón has had another hit with this prison thriller,which has delighted both the public and critics in Spain, after having great success at the Venice, Toronto and Sitges film festivals.

The Dancer and the Thief [El baile de la Victoria] Release date: November 27, 2009 Director: Fernando Trueba. Writers: Fernando Trueba, Jonás Trueba y Antonio Skármeta (basado en una novela de éste último). Produced by: Fernando Trueba P.C. Performers: Ricardo Darín, Ariadna Gil, Abel Ayala, Miranda Bodenhofer. Cinematography: Julián Ledesma. Editing: Carmen Frías. With the arrival of democracy, the President of Chile announces a general amnesty for all prisoners convicted of crimes not involving bloodshed. Young Ángel Santiago is determined to avenge the sexual abuses he suffered in prison, but at the same time he is planning an ambitious and daring robbery for which he needs the collaboration of Nicolás Vergara Grey, a famous bank robber fleeing his own reputation to try and win back his family. The plan is further complicated by the magical presence of Victoria, a mysterious adolescent ballerina whose parents were assassinated during Pinochet’s dictatorship. Oscar-winning director Fernando Trueba chose this novel by Chilean writer Antonio Skármeta for his return to fiction filmmaking, seven years after shooting The Shanghai Spell [El embrujo de Shanghai ]. This film has been selected by the members of the Spanish Film Academy to represent Spain in the international competition for Best Foreign Language Oscar.

The Secret in Their Eyes [El secreto de sus ojos] Release date: 25 de Septiembre. Director: Juan José Campanella. Guión Juan José Campanella, Eduardo Sacheri. Produced by: 100 Bares, Tornasol Films, Haddock Films, Telefe. Intérpretes Ricardo Darín, Guillermo Francella, José Luis Gioia, Javier Godino, Pablo Rago, Soledad Villamil. Cinematography:Félix Monti. Editing: Juan José Campanella. Benjamín Espósito, secretary of a magistrate’s court in Buenos Aires, was about to retire and decided to write a novel based on a case which greatly affected him thirty years before, in which he was both a witness and a party. His obsession with this brutal murder which occurred in 1975 led him to relive those years, awakening memories not only of the violence of the crime and its perpetrator but also of a moving love affair with a colleague, whom he had fervently but secretly loved and desired for years. Espósito’s novel takes us back to the seventies, turbulent times in Argentina, with palpable tension in the air, when nothing was necessarily as it seemed.

Me, Too [Yo, También] Release date: 16 de Octubre. Director: Álvaro Pastor y Antonio Naharro. Writers: Álvaro Pastor, Antonio Naharro. Produced by: Alicia Produce y Promico Imagen. Performers: Lola Dueñas, Pablo Pineda, Isabel García Lorca, Pedro Álvarez Ossorio, Antonio Naharro, María Bravo, Consuelo Trujillo, Daniel Parejo, Lourdes Naharro. Cinematography:Alfonso Postigo. Editing: Nino Martínez Sosa. Juan, a civil servant in the prison service, arrives at his new post a day before he is to start work in his official capacity. There, he has an accident minutes before a riot breaks out in the high security section, containing the most dangerous and feared prisoners. His colleagues are busy trying to save their own skins and leave Juan’s unconscious body in Cell 211. On coming round, Juan realises what is happening and claims to be just another prisoner. From that moment on, he has to play it by ear to survive, using only his wits, inventiveness and daring, ignorant of the paradoxical trap destiny has laid for him. After the acclaimed film The Kovak Box [La caja Kovak ], young Daniel Monzón has had another hit with this prison thriller, which has delighted both the public and critics in Spain, after having great success at the Venice, Toronto and Sitges film festivals.

To honour the memory of a man who has been a pillar of Spanish cinema and founder and first president of the Spanish Audiovisual Producers’ Rights Management Association, EGEDA established the José María Forqué Cinematographic Awards in 1996. The award was created with the twin aims of helping to spread the importance of the Spanish audiovisual industry and promoting the Spanish cinematographic producer.

The award is given to the best Spanish production from the previous year for its technical and artistic quality via secret balloting of all the members of the association and presented to a notary public. Vying for the award are all Spanish feature films released in cinemas in Spain during the previous year and the award comes with prize money of 30,050 Euro.

With growing success for the award year after year, EGEDA decided to add two new prizes in 2003 (the 8th Edition): the EGEDA Special Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary and/or Animation (with 6,000 Euro in prize money) and the ‘EGEDA Gold Medal’ [Medalla de Oro de EGEDA ], given to a Spanish cinema producer for lifetime achievement.

The first Jose María Award ceremony took place on April 17, 1996 at the Ateneo Científico y Literario de Madrid cultural centre, with the award going to the film Noody Will Speak of Us When We’re Dead [Nadie hablará de nosotras cuando hayamos muerto ], directed by Agustín Díaz Yanes and produced by Flamenco Films and Xaloc. The second edition was held on the same day in 1997 in the same location as the first. On this occasion, the winning film was Thesis [Tésis ], the debut work directed by Alejandro Amenábar, and produced by Las Producciones del Escorpión, S.L. The third edition took place in the Casino de Madrid on April 20, 1998 and the winning film was Lucky Star [La buena estrella ], directed by Ricardo Franco and produced by Enrique Cerezo, P.C. and Pedro Costa P.C. This edition of the ceremony was also in tribute to Helena Matas and Antonio Cuevas, Chair and Vice-Chair of EGEDA, who passed away in 1997.

Up to this time and in accordance with the award rules on file with a notary public, the selection of the prize-winning work was made each year by the members of the association in a single vote by secret ballot, also in the presence of a notary public.

At the fourth edition, held on April 19, 1999, a double voting system was used for the first time in which five finalists were initially selected, from which the winner was chosen. In the first round of voting, the finalists were El abuelo,The Lovers of the Arctic Circle [Los amantes del Círculo Polar ], Barrio , The Girl of Your Dreams [La niña de tus ojos ] and Tango. The award went to Barrio, a film directed by Fernando León de Aranoa and produced byElías Querejeta, P.C. and Sogetel.

At the fifth edition, the finalist films were Flowers from Another World Flores de otro mundo , Goya in Bordeaux [Goya en Burdeos ], Butterfly’s Tongue [La lengua de las mariposas ], Alone [Solas ] and All About My Mother [Todo sobre mi madre ], with Solas, directed by Benito Zambrano and produced by Maestranza Films, taking the award.

The 6th José María Forqué Cinematographic Award finalists were Pellet [El Bola ], La Comunidad, The Back of the World [La Espalda del mundo ], Leo, I Know Who You Are [Sé quien eres ] and You’re the One. The award was given to El Bola, produced by Tesela Producciones Cinematográficas and directed by Achero Mañas.

In 2002 the gala ceremony was relocated to the Teatro Real de Madrid, as the growing influence of the event resulted in a notable increase in persons wishing to attend. The 7th José María Forqué Cinematographic Award went to the film En construcción, produced by Ovideo and directed by José Luis Guerín. Other finalists were Son of the Bride [El hijo de la novia], Madness of Love [Juana la Loca ], and The Others.

On May 29, 2003, with the Teatro Real now as annual site for the gala, the 8th José María Forqué Awards ceremony finalists were the films Mondays in the Sun [Los lunes al sol ], Talk to Her [Hable con ella ], The City of No Limits [En la ciudad sin límites ], Historia de un beso [Story of a Kiss ] and The Other Side of the Bed [El otro lado de la cama ]. Of these, the winning film was Mondays in the Sun, directed by Fernando León de Aranoa and produced by Elías Querejeta, P.C. and Mediapro. In this edition, the EGEDA Special Award was given for the first time to the best feature-length documentary or animation film, divided this year amongst two works: Balseros by Bausan Films, and El Efecto Iguazú by Cre-Acción Films. Also given for the first time was the EGEDA Gold Medal, an honorary award given for a producer’s lifetime achievement. In 2003, it was awarded to the recently-deceased Pedro Masó.

The 9th José María Forqué Awards gala was held on April 21, 2004. The finalist films were Moscow Gold [El oro de Moscú ], In the City [En la ciudad ], Soldiers of Salamina [Soldados de Salamina ], My Life Without Me [Mi vida sin mí ] and Take My Eyes [Te doy mis ojos ]. The latter, directed by Icíar Bollaín and produced by Alta Films and Producciones La Iguana S.L., won the award. The 2nd EGEDA Special Award for feature-length documentary or animation film went to Julio Medem, producer and director of The Basque Ball: Skin against Stone [La pelota Vasca. La piel contra la piedra. ]. The EGEDA Gold Medal was given to Elías Querejeta.

Finalists for the 10th edition of the award were the films Bad Education [La mala educación ], Héctor, Tiovivo C. 1950, Wolf [El lobo ], and The Sea Inside [Mar adentro ]. The winner was the latter, a feature film directed by Alejandro Amenábar and produced by Sogecine and Himenóptero Films. The EGEDA Special Award was given to Miracle of Candeal [El milagro de Candeal ], produced by Fernando Trueba P.C., BMG and Iberautor, and the Gold Medal was awarded posthumously to Luis Méndez, a member of the EGEDA Board of Directors.

The Secret Life of Words, directed by Isabel Coixet and produced by El Deseo and Mediapro, was the winner at the 11th edition in May of 2006. Finalists included Obaba, Princesas, Habana Blues and 7 Virgins [7 vírgenes ]. The EGEDA Special Award to Best Feature-Length Documentary or Animation Film went to El cielo gira, produced by Fernando Lara, and the EGEDA Gold Medal was given to Andrés Vicente Gómez.

The next year, the multiple award winning film Pan’s Labyrinth [El laberinto del fauno ], directed by Guillermo del Toro and produced by Estudios Picasso Fábrica de Ficción and Tequila Gang, got the award at the 12th edition, with the other finalists being Alatriste, DarkBlueAlmostBlack [AzulOscuroCasiNegro ], and Volver. The EGEDA Special Award to Best Feature-Length Documentary or Animation Film went to Cineastas en acción, produced and directed by Carlos Benpar, and the Gold Medal was given to producer Antonio Sáenz de Vicuña.

In 2007, the horror film The Orphanage [El Orfanato ] received the José María Forqué Award. This was the thirteenth edition, this time held at Madrid’s Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones at a gala in which the other finalists were Under the Stars [Bajo las estrellas ], Seven Billiard Tables [Siete mesas de billar francés ], Solitary Fragments [La soledad ], and 13 Roses [Las 13 rosas ]. The EGEDA Special Award went to the documentary Invisibles, and the Gold Medal was given to filmmaker José Luis Borau.

Up to now, Camino is the latest film to have received the José María Forqué Award, at a ceremony held on January 14, 2009. It was competing with the films Che: Part One, The Blind Sunflowers [Los girasoles ciegos ], Solo quiero caminar, and The El Escorial Conspiracy [La conjura de El Escorial ]. The EGEDA Special Award was given to José Luis López Linares and Antonio Saura, producers of the documentary El pollo, el pez y el cangrejo real. The EGEDA Gold Medal was awarded to Eduardo Ducay for his more than sixty years dedicated to cinema.

Julio Fernández is a producer and chairman of FILMAX ENTERTAINMENT. Born in A Fonsagrada (Lugo) and having two daughters, he has lived in Barcelona since the late ‘60s. Fernández has a diploma from Barcelona’s EADA Business School and has become one of the leading innovators of a new age of the Spanish audiovisual industry.

Julio Fernández has been a pioneer in fantasy and horror films, being one of the most dedicated and influential producers in this genre in Spain through Fantastic Factory, from which have come titles like Jaume Balaguero’s Darkness, Paco Plaza’s Romasanta, Stuart Gordon’s Arachnid, and, one of the company’s latest productions, [REC], by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, the most successful Spanish horror franchise in recent history, Daniel Monzón’s The Kovak Box [La caja Kovak ], and Brad Anderson’s The Machinist [El Maquinista ].

Another genre in which Julio Fernández has focused and been a pioneer is animation. In doing so, Filmax created Bren Entertainment, an animation film factory located in Santiago de Compostela. According to Fernandez, "it is among the eight leading [animation film studios] in the world" and now has five Goya Awards. A sampling of the high-quality audiovisual products coming from Bren Entertainment includes El ratón Pérez (2007), Donkey Xote (2007), Pinnocchio 3000 (2004), and his 2D animation works, Nocturna (2007), Gisaku (2006), and El Cid: The Legend (2003).

However, Julio Fernández’s long career, with more than 100 films produced, includes hit films beyond these genres, with titles like Wolf [El lobo ], Tapas , Cowards [Cobardes ] and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, clearly giving him a leading role in film production in Spain.