Spanish cinema stars demand more women in film at Goyas

MADRID — Stars of Spanish cinema have lashed out at the lack of women in the film industry at the country’s equivalent of the Oscars. “We need directors, screenwriters, directors of photography, scripts, technicians, composers — equal in number to men,” said actress Nora Navas, a vice-president of the Spanish Film Academy, during the Goyas in Madrid on Saturday. Carla Simon, one of Spain’s top directors whose film Summer 1993 bagged three awards at the ceremony, said the country “needs more women to make films.” Only 27% of the nominees for the Goyas were women and female attendees at the ceremony carried bright red fans sporting #MÁSMUJERES (more women) slogans. Meanwhile, director Isabel Coixet, 57, also scored three prizes for The Bookshop — best picture, director and adapted screenplay — dedicating the awards to “all those who still buy books, open bookshops and love the cinema.” The night’s other big winner was the film Handia — an historic drama set in the Basque Country which took home 10 awards.