by Emiliano De Pablos
MADRID (Variety) - Alejandro Amenabar's The Others has taken a leading 15 nominations for the 16th Goya Academy Awards, Spain's top film honors. The nods include best film, director and actress (Nicole Kidman).
Other picture contenders are the Penelope Cruz Spanish-language starrer No News From God (13 nominations in all); Vicente Aranda's biopic of Spanish Queen Joan the Mad, Mad Love (12 nominations); and Julio Medem's raunchy drama Sex and Lucia (11 nominations).
The head start by The Others can be attributed not only to support from local critics, but also to patriotic pride at Spain having co-produced the U.S. summer sleeper. International success has not always curried much favor with Spanish Academy members.
© 2001 Variety