PACMA slams Academia de Cine for awarding Goyo’s ‘Tardes de Soledad’, Alberto Serra’s ‘bullfighting’ strip

PACMA criticized the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ decision to award the Goya Award for Best Documentary Film Tardes de Soledaddirected by Alberto Serra, as they believe this recognition “goes a step further in social sensitivity towards animal protection and contributes to the normalization of bullfighting as a harmless cultural expression”.

The belt worn during the 2022 and 2023 bull seasons follows the toreador Andres Roca Rey and shows the development of different bullfights in the plazas of Spain and France.

From PACMA, I point out that although the film avoids explicit location, the mere aesthetic depiction of the story implies the depiction of violence is indeed practiced on the bull as a spectacle.

The film was shown at the 2024 San Sebastián International Film Festival, which was Concha de Oro. The Animalist Party insists that artistic appreciation cannot be separated from the material reality depicted. “Each level of bullfighting reflects physical strength and is extremely authentic to an animal used as an entertainment object,” they explain.

The Animalist Party concludes that rewarding the work done in bullfighting contributes to the perpetuation of a practice based on abuse and calls on the film industry to ensure that it is supported by content in line with a more respectful society with animals.

PACMA It was said when Alberto Serra’s belt won the biggest galardon at the San Sebastian festivalin September of 2024. The arguments that were argued are the same that have now been implemented to challenge the Academy’s decision.