Offbeat | Film featuring disabled actors wins Spain’s top Goya award

Actor Jesus Vidal celebrates his Goya award

The film “Campeones” (“Champions”), a comedy about a basketball team featuring actors with mental disabilities, won best picture at the Spanish Film Academy’s Goya Awards.

Directed by Javier Fesser, “Campeones” took the top prize at the gala that occurred Sunday in Seville, while the dark thriller “El reino” (“The Kingdom”) was the night’s big winner, sweeping up seven awards.

The Goya for best new actor went to Jesus Vidal, who has a visual disability, for his role in “Campeones.”

“You have recognized an actor with a disability. You don’t know what you have done. Three words come to mind: inclusion, fun and visibility,” Vidal told the audience.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez congratulated the winners, above all Vidal, on social media. Sanchez said Vidal’s acceptance speech was “unforgettable.”

“El reino,” a dive into the murky realm of corruption in Spain, earned Rodrigo Sorogoyen the best director award. It also won best screenplay and best actor for Antonio de la Torre.

Sorogoyen will compete at this year’s Oscar Awards in the category of best short film with “Madre” (“Mother”).

Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” won the best Spanish-language film made from outside Spain, while Pawel Pawlikowski’s “Cold War” won for best European film.

The annual Goya Awards are Spain’s version of the Oscars, honoring excellence in filmmaking for full-length features, shorts, animated films and documentaries. Members of the Spanish Film Academy are eligible to vote.