Ask any Spaniard you know, and they’ll tell you the same thing: The country has its own version of the Oscars, and they’re called the Goya Awards. Consider some of Hollywood’s favorite Spanish-speaking talent — Pedro Almodóvar, Guillermo del Toro, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas — all of them have earned at least one Goya (in Bardem’s case, the most acting Goyas ever), taken to the stage, and spoken proudly about what it means to be recognized by Spain‘s Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences in front of their peers. The 40th Goya Awards, set for a star-studded ceremony with Susan Sarandon — this year’s international Goya Award honoree — on Feb. 28 at the Auditori Fòrum in Barcelona, will spotlight an area of the country like never before. As the Basque Country continues to leave its mark on global cinema thanks to unparalleled film and TV investment in the region, its talent is arriving at the 2026 event with a record 45 nominations, up from 25 nods the previous year. Don’t be fooled — this hasn’t just happened. It …