Spain's Royal Film Academy has announced the nominees for the thirtieth edition of the Goya Awards, Spain's version of the Oscars or BAFTAs. Among them is I Am Your Father, the documentary which had its Majorca premiere last month and which tells the story of the actor David Prowse and his role as Darth Vader in Star Wars. Directed by the Majorcans Marcos Cabotà and Toni Bestard and co-produced by Nova Televisió, part of Grup Serra, publishers of The Bulletin, it is one of five nominations with a Balearic connection.
The film El rey en Habana (The King in Havana) by Majorcan director Agustí Villaronga has been nominated for best photography, best actress (Yordanka Ariosa) and best adapted screenplay. Another film, Isla Bonita, which was shot entirely in Minorca with the support of the regional government and the Balearic Film Commission, has received a nomination for best actor (its director Fernando Colomo).
The nominations are significant in that they are productions either filmed in the Balearics or produced here, as was the case with I Am Your Father. The film Isla Bonita was a co-production that involved the Minorcan Periférica Producciones.
The regional government's minister for culture, Esperança Camps, is delighted at the nominations, which are examples of the way in which the audiovisual industry can give "visibility" to the Balearics and be a source of employment. "It is a priority of our ministry to be able to help this sector to create products which show off our lands and serve to attract film productions."