Industry heavyweights flock to Madrid for the 12th edition of Ibero-America’s annual film awards ceremony
Madrid, Spain, has got the film industry buzzing, with the 12th Platino Awards set to take place on Sunday night. Industry icons, including Eva Longoria, are set to attend the event, with the prestigious show’s honorary prize going to the Hollywood star. The awards ceremony brings together the biggest filmmakers from central and southern America, Spain and Portugal, all competing for the top honors.
- Among the nominees are Brazilian actor Gabriel Leone for Netflix’s F1 series Senna and Spanish legend Pedro Almodóvar for his English-language debut The Room Next Door, which premiered in Venice last year.
- Fernanda Torres is nominated for her performance in Walter Salles’ I’m Still Here, while Úrsula Corberó is nominated for her role in Luis Ortega’s Kill the Jockey.
- Other notable nominees include Spanish director Luis Ortega, who is nominated for best director for Kill the Jockey.
Discussion with Luis Ortega
The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Luis Ortega, the Argentine director nominated for best director for Kill the Jockey, to discuss politics, his next film, and the challenges faced by Spanish-language content in the global film industry. “I don’t like traveling,” Ortega says, admitting that the right-wing Trump administration makes the U.S. and Miami, where Ortega grew up, less appealing. “I don’t like police.” He also mentions that he gets strip-searched at the airport, which he finds uncomfortable. When asked about his latest project, Kill the Jockey, Ortega says, “It’s a story about two jockeys evading capture by a powerful mobster in Buenos Aires. It debuted to critical acclaim and was Argentina’s entry for best international feature film at this year’s Oscars.”
Ortega also discusses the challenges of funding his next film, Magnetized. “The whole getting the money part is boring,” he says, clarifying that he means dealing with people who have money. He continues, “I don’t have friends with money,” but somehow manages to secure funding for his projects. Ortega’s new film, Magnetized, is about a priest who smokes crack and gives impassioned speeches while under the influence. He is still working on the script and says that the film will be commercial, but acknowledges that it may not be taken seriously by some.
Challenges faced by Spanish-language content
Luis Ortega highlights the challenges faced by Spanish-language content in the global film industry. He states, “People don’t like reading subtitles.” He also mentions that he has to know English to communicate with international partners, but people who know English may not be familiar with Spanish. Ortega notes that this is a problem not only in Argentina but also worldwide. He references the dubbing industry, where Spanish-language content is often dubbed over. He says, “Spain has their own Pacino who dubs the actor’s voice for every film he stars in.” He jokes that Pacino’s voice is so iconic that his fans may think that Pacino is still alive.
Positivity from Brazilian actor
Brazilian actor Hugo Bonemer is slightly more optimistic about the prospects of Spanish-language content in the global film industry. He tells The Hollywood Reporter, “Every human being wants to be valued by their work, recognized for their efforts.” Bonemer references his experience filming Netflix’s Senna, which became the streamer’s most-watched non-English language series worldwide after its release. Bonemer notes that filming in South America was a unique experience, with the cast and crew often living on location. He says, “In terms of nation, of course, there is this pride like, ‘yeah, there’s Brazil.
