Online Film Series Dedicated to Actress Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Recipient of the 2025 Honorary Goya Award

The annual online film program of the Cervantes Institute kicks off in 2025 with a special cycle dedicated to actress Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, who will receive the 2025 Honorary Goya Award on February 8 in Granada.
According to Fernando Méndez-Leite, president of the Spanish Film Academy, “Aitana Sánchez-Gijón is an actress beloved and respected by her peers, recognized by audiences and critics alike since the beginning of her career. She is a consummate actress: serious, responsible, competent, approachable, and capable of bringing truth, sincerity, and depth to all of her work.”

The selection of films for this series was personally curated by the actress. In addition to Volavérunt, a film by Bigas Luna for which she won Best Actress at the San Sebastián Film Festival, her selection includes significant productions from the late 20th century, directed by great Spanish filmmakers such as Vicente Aranda, Bigas Luna, Jaime Chávarri, and Fernando Colomo.

The films will be streamed for free with subtitles available in English, French, Italian, and Spanish on the VIMEO channel of the Cervantes Institute. They will be available every Thursday from 11:00 AM (Romania time) for 96 hours.

Aitana Sánchez-Gijón: A Career in Film and Theater

Aitana Sánchez-Gijón has worked with many notable figures in Spanish cinema and theater, including Pedro Almodóvar, Vicente Aranda, Adolfo Aristarain, Bigas Luna, Juan José Campanella, Jaime Chávarri, Fernando Colomo, Fernando Fernán-Gómez, Patricia Ferreira, Manolo Gómez Pereira, Pilar Miró, Gonzalo Suárez, and Imanol Uribe.

She made her film debut in 1986 with José María Forqué’s Romanza Final (Gayarre) and became a well-known television figure the same year through the series Segunda enseñanza.
Her career took off with Bajarse al moro, a comedy by Fernando Colomo that became a box office hit. She then starred in other memorable films such as Remando al viento by Gonzalo Suárez and Jarrapellejos by Antonio Giménez Rico. She also appeared in El mar y el tiempo, directed by Fernando Fernán-Gómez, and El pájaro de la felicidad by Pilar Miró.

Internationally, she featured in El marido perfecto by Beda Docampo Feijóo and gained widespread recognition in the 1990s, becoming one of the most sought-after actresses in Spanish cinema. She starred in Un paseo por las nubes by Alfonso Arau alongside Keanu Reeves, La ley de la frontera by Adolfo Aristarain, Boca a boca and El amor perjudica seriamente la salud, both by Manuel Gómez Pereira, La camarera del Titanic and Volavérunt by Bigas Luna, and Yerma by Pilar Távora. On television, she played the leading role in La Regenta, directed by Fernando Méndez-Leite.

In the 21st century, she appeared in El maquinista (The Machinist) by Brad Anderson alongside Christian Bale, La puta y la ballena by Luis Puenzo, and La carta esférica by Imanol Uribe. Her recent roles include Thi Mai: Rumbo a Vietnam by Patricia Ferreira, Madres paralelas by Pedro Almodóvar, La jefa by Fran Torres, and Que nadie duerma by Antonio Méndez Esparza. She has also starred in television series such as Velvet, Estoy vivo, and Respira.

Aitana Sánchez-Gijón was the first female president of the Spanish Film Academy, serving from 1998 to 2000.

FILMS IN THE SERIES

February 6: Volavérunt (1999) – Directed by Bigas Luna | Spain, France (1999), 118 min

This international superproduction by Bigas Luna stars Aitana Sánchez-Gijón as the Duchess of Alba. Doña Cayetana was a remarkable figure, shaped by intrigue, passion, and desire, playing a key role in the court of King Charles IV.
The title, inspired by Goya’s Capricho No. 61, perfectly encapsulates the ambiguity typical of Goya’s engravings. With stunning cinematography and elaborate period costumes, the film beautifully recreates the opulent world of 18th-century Spain.

February 13: Celos (1999) – Directed by Vicente Aranda | Spain (1999), 110 min

Renowned Spanish filmmaker Vicente Aranda delivers an intense and suspenseful drama exploring the dark side of jealousy.
The film delves into the dangerous boundary between love and obsessive desire, a recurring theme in Aranda’s work, often intertwined with violence. Aitana Sánchez-Gijón delivers a masterful performance, using a sophisticated emotional range to bring depth and nuance to her character.

February 20: Sus ojos se cerraron y el mundo sigue andando (1996) – Directed by Jaime Chávarri | Spain, Argentina (1998), 93 min

With a late tango atmosphere, this film revolves around music that dominated early 20th-century nightlife. Directed by Jaime Chávarri, it pays homage to Las cosas del querer, a classic film by the same director.
Sánchez-Gijón plays a young woman whose gaze and presence manipulate the legacy of tango and its myths, adding layers of meaning to this deeply evocative film.

February 27: Bajarse al moro (1988) – Directed by Fernando Colomo | Spain (1988), 90 min

This adaptation of the famous play cemented Fernando Colomo’s status as a key figure in Spanish cinema. While his earlier works were lighthearted, Bajarse al moro takes a more character-driven approach, exploring social class and uncertain futures.
Aitana Sánchez-Gijón shines in a role that demands strong chemistry with some of Spain’s best actors, proving her talent early in her career.

All films will be available for free on the Cervantes Institute’s Vimeo channel.
Streaming every Thursday at 11:00 AM (Romania time) for 96 hours.

Aitana Sánchez-Gijón – An actress who shaped Spanish cinema.