Spanish cinema shines once again in France. The 31st edition of Cinespaña, the Spanish and Portuguese film festival in Toulouse, has announced its winners, with Yo no moriré de amor, by Marta Matute, emerging as the night's big winner.
The event, one of the most significant showcases for Hispanic audiovisual work outside of Spain, confirms the strong momentum of emerging Spanish cinema, with debut features and works by new directors sweeping a large portion of the awards.
Yo no moriré de amor, the big winner
The film directed by Marta Matute took home the Golden Violet for Best Film, the festival's most important award, which includes a 2,000-euro prize granted by the City of Toulouse.
The film did not stop there. Júlia Mascort won the award for Best Actress for her performance in the film, which also received the New Filmmaker Student Award, granted with the support of the Haute-Garonne Departmental Council to recognize Marta Matute as a new voice in Spanish cinema.
Amílcar, recognized as best documentary
In the documentary category, the top winner was Amílcar, directed by Miguel Eek, which took home the José-Maria Berzosa Award for Best Documentary, featuring a 1,000-euro prize granted by the Occitanie Region.
This recognition in Toulouse marks a new milestone in the film's international journey, adding another prominent festival to its trajectory outside of Spain.
La buena hija, audience favorite
The film La buena hija, directed by Júlia De Paz Solvas, was the audience favorite, winning the Audience Award for Best Fiction Film.
The film also won the award for Best Cinematography for Sandra Roca, and the New Filmmaker Award, which includes a 1,000-euro prize from the Haute-Garonne Departmental Council, which went to Júlia De Paz Solvas herself.
The rest of the winners
The festival distributed other notable awards among various Spanish productions. Pablo Molinero won the award for Best Actor for his role in Els Mals Noms, directed by Marc Ortiz Prades.
The award for Best Director went to Helena Girón and Samuel Delgado, the creators of Las islas afortunadas.
Meanwhile, Aro Berria, by Irati Gorostidi, was distinguished with two technical awards: Best Sound for Álvaro Silva Wuth, and Best Editing for Ariadna Ribas Surís.
The Best Screenplay Award went to Ángel Santos Touza and Pablo García Canga, authors of the script for Así llegó la noche, a film directed by Ángel Santos Touza.
Finally, in the non-fiction category, the Audience Award for Best Documentary went to Este cuerpo mío, by Afioco Gnecco and Carolina Yuste.
A key showcase for Spanish cinema in France
Cinespaña has established itself as one of the reference points for Spanish-language cinema abroad, with special attention to new talent and productions seeking international projection.
This year's edition once again focuses on debut directors, as well as documentaries that explore personal and social stories, a trend that has been repeated in the festival's recent awards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What award did Yo no moriré de amor win at Cinespaña Toulouse?
Marta Matute's film won the Golden Violet for Best Film, in addition to the Best Actress award for Júlia Mascort and the New Filmmaker Student Award.
Who directed the documentary Amílcar?
Amílcar is directed by Miguel Eek and was recognized with the José-Maria Berzosa Award for Best Documentary at the 31st edition of Cinespaña.
What is Cinespaña in Toulouse?
Cinespaña is the Spanish and Portuguese film festival held in Toulouse, France, which in its 31st edition has once again brought together outstanding productions from the Hispanic audiovisual scene.
Which film won the Audience Award at Cinespaña 2026?
La buena hija, by Júlia De Paz Solvas, was the winner of the Audience Award for Best Fiction Film, in addition to winning the awards for Best Cinematography and the New Filmmaker Award.
Who won the award for Best Actor?
Pablo Molinero received the award for Best Actor for his role in Els Mals Noms, directed by Marc Ortiz Prades.
What is the prize money for the Cinespaña awards?
The Golden Violet for Best Film is endowed with 2,000 euros by the City of Toulouse, while other awards such as Best Documentary or the New Filmmaker award include 1,000 euros each, provided by the Occitanie Region and the Haute-Garonne Departmental Council, respectively.
