Javier Bardem and Cate Blanchett were celebrated at Spain's prestigious 36th Goya Awards held in Valencia. Bardem secured his seventh Goya for his performance in "The Good Boss," a film that dominated the night with six awards, including best film, best director, and best original screenplay. Despite stiff competition from his wife, Penelope Cruz, Bardem emerged victorious, while Cruz lost the best actress award to Blanca Portillo for her role in "Maixabel." The ceremony was marked by Bardem's gratitude towards director Fernando Leon de Aranoa for crafting such a nuanced and complex character.

Cate Blanchett made history by receiving the first-ever International Goya, presented by renowned Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar and actress Penelope Cruz. Blanchett lauded Spanish cinema, crediting the films of Luis Bunuel with altering her perspective on the world. In a nod to future collaborations, Blanchett is set to work with Almodovar on an adaptation of Lucia Berlin's "A Manuel for Cleaning Women." Both Blanchett and Bardem are contenders at the upcoming Academy Awards, with Bardem and Cruz notably joining the ranks of married couples nominated for Oscars in the same year.