Jorge Perugorría's fifth directorial venture, Anonymous Neurotic, has secured a spot among the 19 films shortlisted for the Goya 2027 award for Best Ibero-American Film, as confirmed by the Spanish Film Academy on October 7.
It is crucial to note that being shortlisted does not guarantee a nomination or a place among the five finalists. These final selections will be announced on December 15, 2026, ahead of the awards ceremony set for February 6, 2027, in Navarra.
The movie stars Mirtha Ibarra, Cuba's National Film Award recipient in 2025, who portrays Iluminada, an 80-year-old usher with three decades of experience at a Havana cinema. Faced with the threat of the theater's demolition, she rallies her coworkers to create a documentary defending it.
Drawn from a play of the same name that Ibarra herself wrote and performed, the film's screenplay was developed by both Ibarra and Perugorría.
The cast includes appearances by Puerto Rican actor Benicio del Toro—who won the Goya for Best Leading Actor in 2009—and Spanish actress Susana Pous, enhancing the film's international appeal.
In an interview with EFE conducted in Havana, Perugorría described the film as "a tribute to the resilience of Cubans, who, despite the circumstances, refuse to stop dreaming and continue pushing forward during these challenging and complex times."
Filming took place in Havana in August 2024 amidst a severe economic crisis. Perugorría acknowledged that sustaining the production required creativity and dedication from the entire team: "We cannot give up on making cinema."
Perugorría spoke candidly about Ibarra's role: "Her character—Iluminada—is exemplary to me. For a woman of her age to reinvent her life, to fight and assemble a team to save a cinema, is truly admirable."
The backdrop of the film reflects a harsh reality in Cuba: once home to nearly 400 cinemas, about 80% have closed in recent decades, and power outages lasting up to 20 hours daily make it nearly impossible to keep a theater operational.
The film had its international premiere in the Official Section of the Málaga Film Festival in March 2026, where it received a ten-minute standing ovation. Its Cuban debut was on October 16 at Havana's Yara Cinema, although the occasion was marred by the theft of actor Néstor Jiménez's motorcycle during the after-party.
The Málaga screening also sparked cultural debate; Perugorría attributed part of the crisis's escalation to Trump's policies, prompting filmmaker Ian Padrón to publicly challenge him to a debate. When regime officials decried the criticisms as "lynching," Padrón countered by highlighting the state's real repression of dissenters.
For Perugorría, the preselection carries symbolic weight: Cuba hasn't secured a finalist nomination in this category in over a decade, with the last Cuban film to win being The Horn of Plenty by Juan Carlos Tabío in 2009.
Perugorría's connection to the Goyas is personal; he starred in "Strawberry and Chocolate" (1993) by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Tabío, which won the award in 1995 in the same category now contended by Anonymous Neurotic.
"The mere fact of being shortlisted is a reason for gratitude for us, particularly given my professional ties with Spanish cinema," Perugorría told EFE.
FAQs on Anonymous Neurotic and Goya 2027
What is the premise of "Anonymous Neurotic"?
The film follows Iluminada, an 80-year-old usher in a Havana cinema, as she leads a fight to save her theater from demolition by creating a documentary.
Who are the notable cast members in the film?
The film features Mirtha Ibarra as Iluminada, with cameo appearances by Benicio del Toro and Susana Pous, adding an international dimension to the production.
When will the final nominations for Goya 2027 be announced?
The final nominations will be revealed on December 15, 2026, leading up to the awards ceremony on February 6, 2027.