Barcelona will once again be the capital of Spanish cinema. According to La Vanguardia, the Goya Awards gala will be held in the Catalan capital in 2026. It will be the 40th edition of the most important Spanish film awards and will mark the return of this ceremony to the city 26 years later.
The last time the Goya Awards were presented in Barcelona was in 2000. An edition that many still remember because it was the one in which Pedro Almodóvar, upon collecting his award, dedicated it to the then Prince Felipe by singing Happy Birthday to him.
That year the gala was held at L‘Auditori in Barcelona, Almodóvar was the big winner of the night for his film All about my mother. The film won seven awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Pedro Almodóvar) and Best Actress in a Leading Role (Cecilia Roth).
Now, with its 2026 edition, Barcelona will take over from Granada, which in 2025 hosted the gala and where the Honorary Goya was awarded to Aitana Sánchez-Gijón and the International Goya to actor Richard Gere.
For the moment, no further details are known about the specific venue, the presenters or the parallel activities that may be held, but everything points to it being a special edition, both for the round number and for the return of Barcelona to the forefront of Spanish cinema.
[This article is in the process of expanding the information].