The awards ceremony is still distant, but the engines are already warming up for cinema’s most famous awards. The 99th Academy Awards gala is starting to peek over the horizon, and there isn’t anyone in the industry who wouldn’t want their name to be mentioned at least to secure a presence there. It is, at the very least, an honor, and from Spain we are ready to embrace it with pride and passion.
The Spanish Academy of Cinema already has a fairly clear idea of which work will represent the country in the nomination for Best International Feature. Three contenders have been shortlisted for the occasion, and in a few weeks a vote will decide which of them is best suited to take this to Hollywood.
The nominees are…
The list of the three films that have been chosen by the Academy is led by ‘Los domingos‘, by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa. In Spain it swept the Goyas with a whole string of awards that included Best Picture and Best Actress for Patricia López Arnaiz. It is the most distant in time, with its release dating back to September 2025 in San Sebastián, but also the most logical due to its absence from the previous gala.
The second shortlisted entrant is making itself heard for its excellent cast. ‘‘El ser querido’, by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, brings Javier Bardem back from the United States to tell a story that has captivated hundreds of critics during its Cannes run.
The third, but by no means the least, is still yet to hit cinemas: ‘La bola negra’, by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. It is probably the one with the most weight on the international conscience, with Netflix backing it to position it at the forefront of the Oscar race. It will reach Spanish cinemas on the upcoming September 15, 2026, so we have to wait a little to judge its merits for ourselves.
Going all out
Whichever one is selected, it seems Spain this year has strong contenders to go for the Oscar for Best International Feature. The country hasn’t managed to win the statue since The Sea Inside (Mar adentro) more than two decades ago, but this is a good moment to once again showcase the talent radiating from Spanish artists.
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