The films of a new director, J. A. Bayona, and a veteran, Emilio Martinez Lazaro, are competing this year at the 22nd Annual Awards Ceremony of the Spanish Film Academy for being the most awarded film of the year. All indications are that it will be a tough battle, given that, at present, the sensational hit film of the year, El orfanato and the historical drama Las trece rosas have tied for nominations, with 14 each, including for "Best Film". In this category, they are in the running with Siete mesas de billar frances by Gracia Querejeta, which has received 10 nominations in all, and La soledad by Jaime Rosales. The directors of the latter three and Iciar Bollain, for Mataharis, are competing for the Goya for Best Direction. J.A. Bayona, filmmaker of El orfanato is competing in the "Best Newcomer Director" category. In the performances arena is actor Alfredo Landa, who, in addition to the Goya de Honor he is receiving, could also be taking home another award, having been nominated for his performance in Luz de Domingo. Under the direction of Jose Luis Garci, Landa is retiring from cinema with this film. In the same performance category are actors Alvaro de Luna for El prado de las estrellas, Alberto San Juan for Bajo las estrellas, and Tristan Ulloa for Mataharis, who is also in the running for the Best Newcomer Direction and Best Scriptwriter for Pudor, his first film as filmmaker. In the Best Female Performance category, the two leading actresses of Siete mesas de billar frances, Blanca Portillo and Maribel Verdu, are competing for the Goya statuette, along with Emma Suarez for Bajo las estrellas and Belen Rueda for El orfanato. The thrill of the new against the calm confidence of a veteran From the United States, where he has been promoting his film for the past month, J.A. Bayona says he feels great joy for the entire film crew. "It has been a particularly prolific year for first works and they have all been most satisfying. I feel like a representative for all of them. Of its 14 nominations, he would be happiest for it to win the one for Best Original Screenplay, saying, "For Sergio [G. Sanchez, scriptwriter for El orfanato] it took great effort and 10 unsuccessful years for him to get people to give it due attention and bring this project to life". In contrast, veteran director Emilio Martinez Lazaro appears to have a much more relaxed outlook, taking his nomination with a calm, wait-and-see attitude. He recalls that El otro lado de la cama was a nominee for six Goya awards, but only won Best Sound and adds that this is "only a contest in which you are, furthermore, obligated to participate in". Of all the awards his film is nominated for, he would most like the "Best Director" prize, although he will happily share it with all of the performers in the film and says he feels sad that none of the leading actresses of his film were nominated (except for Nadia de Santiago, nominee in the "Best Newcomer Actress" category). If you would like to see the complete list of nominees, please click here.