Actor Eduard Fernández, National Film Award 2025

The Ministry of Culture has awarded the 2025 National Film Prize to Catalan actor Eduard Fernández, one of the most prestigious actors on the current Spanish audiovisual scene. The prize, worth 30,000 euros, was awarded at the suggestion of the jury meeting this Monday, which unanimously praised " his brilliant career and a particularly outstanding year—2024 ."

According to the minutes, Fernández has shone in two completely different roles: as the committed hero in El 47 , and as the controversial and polemical Enric Marco in Marco, a performance that already earned him the Goya for Best Leading Actor at the beginning of this year, (both stories are based on true events and, in the case of El 47 , it also won the Goya for Best Film, a title it shared with La infiltrada ). In addition, the Catalan has also made his debut as a director with the short film El otro, expanding his contribution to Spanish cinema since its production.

Born in Barcelona in 1964 , Eduard Fernández has managed to balance theater, film, and television for more than three decades. His connection with the Els Joglars company during the early years of his career, and his subsequent work at the Teatre Lliure under the direction of Calixto Bieito and Lluís Pasqual, cemented his versatility as a performer in both the classical and contemporary repertoires (Krampack).

Eduard Fernández has managed to balance theater, film and television for more than three decades.

His breakthrough in film came with Zapping, where he played twin brothers, although it was The Wolves of Washington (1999) that firmly redirected his career toward the big screen. Since then, he has combined art-house films with major productions like Alatriste and theatrical adaptations like The Grönholm Method.

He has already accumulated four Goya Awards for Fausto 5.0 (2001), En la ciudad (2003), Mientras dure la guerra (2019) and Marco (2025), making him the second most awarded actor in the history of these awards . He also won the Silver Shell at San Sebastián (2016), three Gaudí Awards and two Feroz Awards . In 2024 he was also awarded the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts.

The National Film Award recognizes the most outstanding contribution to Spanish cinema over the past year or, exceptionally, a career. The award ceremony usually takes place during the San Sebastián Film Festival.

This year's jury was chaired by Ignasi Camós (Director General of the ICAA), with Camilo Vázquez as vice president. Other members included Teresa Font, Cristóbal Garrido, Antonio Molero, María del Puy Alvarado, Nathalie Martínez, Ariadna Cortés, Javier Zurro, Mónica García, and María Zamora —the latter an award winner in the previous edition in 2024.

With this recognition, Eduard Fernández joins a list of key figures in Spanish cinema that includes names such as Penélope Cruz, José Sacristán, Isabel Coixet, Antonio Banderas, Fernando Trueba , and Carla Simón. A fitting tribute to an actor who has made risk, depth, and dedication his hallmarks.

The Ministry of Culture has awarded the 2025 National Film Prize to Catalan actor Eduard Fernández, one of the most prestigious actors on the current Spanish audiovisual scene. The prize, worth 30,000 euros, was awarded at the suggestion of the jury meeting this Monday, which unanimously praised " his brilliant career and a particularly outstanding year—2024 ."