Spanish film awards
Starting from the first edition of the Premios, categories awarded to domestic productions predominated. The main award was the prize for best film. Various notable Spanish films have received this honour throughout the history of the awards, including Surcos, Plácido, Chimes at Midnight, and El espíritu de la colmena.[5]
Other categories have included best director, best actor, best actress, best supporting actor and actress, best photography, and best music; all of these categories continue to exist to this day. The award has been received by many notable directors, such as José Luis Sáenz de Heredia, Ladislao Vajda, Carlos Saura, José Luis Garci,[6] Luis Buñuel, and Pedro Almodóvar.[7] Well-known award-winning actors include Fernando Fernán Gómez, Ana Mariscal, José Luis López Vázquez, Francisco Rabal, Emma Penella, Fernando Rey, Sara Montiel, Javier Bardem,[8] Concha Velasco,[9] Ricardo Darín, and Penélope Cruz.
Some earlier categories have been removed over the years, while others have remained. A few have been split into separate prizes, such as the award for best screenplay, which is today given to original and adapted screenplays separately. New categories have also been added, including a prize for best montage, best documentary feature film, and best animated film. An award was briefly conferred to the best foreign actor and actress in a Spanish film. Other prizes which were introduced and later cancelled include a prize for best setting and one for best short film.
In 1948, the Gimeno Prize was introduced to reward newcomers. Its name was changed to the Jimeno Prize the following year, and again in 1962, to the Antonio Barbero Prize. Initially limited to a single winner, it was later expanded to honour the best new director, actor, and actress.
Writer awards
Apart from awards given to film professionals, from the outset, there were others dedicated to highlighting the work of film critics, journalists, and book writers. These awards are more corporate in nature and have often gone to members of the Circle. In the first edition, medals were awarded for best literary work and best critical work. Subsequently, a medal was created for best book, though this is now defunct. In 1952, a prize was created for best journalistic work.
