Carlos Bayona, the director’s twin brother, accepted the award in Pedro Almodóvar’s hometown after fulfilling the promise he made in *La Revuelta*.
After the event, the audience enjoyed a screening of Juan Antonio Bayona’s *La sociedad de la nieve*, the most award-winning Spanish film of the past decade.
Calzada de Calatrava, October 8, 2026. The 13th Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival paid tribute to Juan Antonio Bayona (Barcelona, 1975), one of Spain’s most internationally renowned filmmakers. The award was accepted by his twin brother, Carlos Bayona. He had committed to appearing on the television show “La Revuelta,” hosted by David Broncano, and kept his word: he traveled to the town of Calzada de Calatrava, strolled through its streets, and immersed himself in the atmosphere of a festival that reaffirms the town’s connection to the art of cinema every year.
During his visit, Carlos Bayona toured the outdoor exhibition organized each year by the residents of General Aguilera Street, Pilatos Street, and San Sebastián Square. With great care and affection, these residents transform their streets into a tribute to Pedro Almodóvar, Calzada de Calatrava’s most illustrious son. This exhibition has become one of the festival’s hallmarks and a prime example of community involvement in the town’s cultural life.
“That’s right, here I am, fulfilling the promise—or rather, the trap—they set for me at ‘La Revuelta,’” joked Carlos Bayona. “But I’m delighted, because I’ve discovered a town that’s in love with Pedro Almodóvar. As I said when I accepted the award, film festivals are incredibly important. Many thanks to Hernán Valdés, the festival director, who’s in charge of all this.”
The director’s brother also wanted to express his gratitude for the institutional support. “Many thanks to Gema and the institutions for supporting festivals like this one. Thanks to them, children like a very young Pedro Almodóvar or a very young Juan Antonio Bayona—in places where it wasn’t allowed to dream of becoming a film director—are able to dream that dream and make it come true,” he emphasized.
Regarding his impression of the town, Bayona noted that “what has struck me most about Calzada de Calatrava is the pride they feel for the Almodóvar brothers, which is a wonderful thing. But of course, there’s only one town in the world where Pedro Almodóvar was born, and it couldn’t be any other way.”
The mayor of Calzada de Calatrava, Gema García, highlighted what this tribute means for the town. “The fact that Juan Antonio Bayona’s name is now part of our festival’s history is a source of pride for the entire town. Calzada de Calatrava is a land of cinema, and we demonstrate this every year with a festival that grows in prestige without losing its essence—that of a town that brings cinema to life in its streets. I want to sincerely thank Carlos Bayona for his warmth and generosity in coming here, and especially our residents, whose selfless work turns each edition into a living tribute to Pedro Almodóvar. “The City Council will continue to champion culture as a driving force for identity, pride, and also as a tourist attraction for our municipality.”
For his part, the festival director, Hernán Valdés, emphasized the significance of the recognition. “Juan Antonio Bayona embodies, like few others, what we seek to celebrate with this festival: a filmmaker who has taken Spanish cinema to the highest levels without ever giving up on telling deeply human stories. His presence, through Carlos, is a gift for this thirteenth edition.” He also noted that “the fact that a commitment made on television before millions of viewers has been fulfilled in Calzada de Calatrava speaks volumes about the Bayona family and also about the strength of this festival. Our goal is to bring great cinema to rural communities and demonstrate that even from a small town in La Mancha, we can engage with the industry’s biggest names.”
Juan Antonio Bayona: A Career That Sets the Standard
A graduate of the Catalonia Film and Audiovisual School (ESCAC), Juan Antonio Bayona made his feature film debut with *The Orphanage* (2007), which earned him the Goya Award for Best New Director. He went on to direct *The Impossible* (2012), *A Monster Calls* (2016), and *Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom* (2018), as well as the first two episodes of the series *The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power*. His filmography has made him one of the most renowned Spanish directors both within and beyond Spain’s borders.
The Snow Society, on Scree
In recognition of his career, the festival screened his latest film, *La sociedad de la nieve* (2023), following the tribute ceremony. The film recounts the true story of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which crashed into a glacier in the Andes in 1972 with a Uruguayan rugby team on board. Of the 45 passengers, only 29 survived the crash, and for 72 days they had to rely on one another for survival in one of the most hostile environments on the planet. Bayona portrays the event with precision, humanity, and dazzling technical skill.
The film won twelve Goya Awards in 2024, including Best Picture and Best Director, and received two Oscar nominations: for Best International Feature Film and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
The 13th Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival is organized by the Calzada de Calatrava City Council, the Universidad Popular, and the Calzada de Calatrava Tourism Office. It is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha, the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and the 2030 Agenda, the FEUP, the Ciudad Real Provincial Council, El Deseo, Mi Escapada Favorita, the Globalcaja Foundation, and Finca La Rosala.
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