Sirat, the film by Oliver Laxe inspired by the rave culture, has received the coveted nomination for Best International Film and Best Sound at the 2026 Oscars, as announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences during the streaming announcement of the films that will compete on March 15 for the famous golden statuettes.
At the Movistar Space on Gran Vía in Madrid, the excitement of Oliver Laxe and his team was palpable as they followed the nominations alongside a group of journalists. A happiness that culminated in shouts, applause, and hugs upon learning the two categories in which the Spanish film will compete in the 98th edition of the Oscars.
However, Laxe missed out on one of the categories where he was a favorite: Best Original Score. "Many have told us that our soundtrack was the best of the year, and we are not nominated," lamented Laxe. They also did not receive nominations in the new Best Casting category created this year, nor in Best Cinematography.
What was surprising above all was the overwhelming calmness of Laxe throughout: in the minutes before the nominations, during them - even laughing at the categories where he was not selected - and afterwards, with joy all around. It was the calm of someone who, nominated or not, already considers themselves a winner: "When you try to make an honest film, you already win. Today is a great day, no matter what happens," the director had said minutes before the nominations were announced.
"In art, there are no winners or losers. Making our film, sharing it, is already a success"
The Movistar Space was a celebration, something that had worried them in the days leading up to it: "What if we set all this up and then we are not nominated for anything?" Movistar colleagues recalled. But the insecurities dissipated at the moment of truth, and Laxe stood as the proud father of Sirat: "If we have gathered you here, it's because we believed we could celebrate something, but we also knew we could leave empty-handed," he began. "But we told ourselves that doesn't exist, leaving empty-handed. In art, there are no winners or losers. Making our film, sharing it, is already a success," Oliver Laxe started his statement to the media, not hiding the happiness of two nominations. "It's funny because as the nominations are announced alphabetically, Sirat was always the last. We are here for the show," joked the director.
The two nominations for Sirat at the major film awards are undoubtedly a reason for celebration for all of Spanish cinema. Looking back, Sirat follows with two nominations each, The Sea Inside, Pain and Glory, and The Snow Society. Controversial to say the least, the film already holds the record for being the most talked-about in recent months.
"We wanted to extend this celebration to all of Spanish cinema. Things are being done well on many levels. There is a lot of maturity, and it is being recognized abroad. Hopefully, all our colleagues consider this a success because it is," he stated. "From now on, the same, let's keep enjoying. It's so difficult to share your film... Being here already showcases our work, showcases Spanish cinema, and that is already a success."
"Sirat is a film that doesn't take hostages. It's radical, bold, and for a film like this to have made it here is very commendable. Being one of the five non-English language films there in a year with so much competition is incredible," he acknowledged. "And the sound is a feat. Do you know the budget of the films we are competing against?"
"Above all, I am excited about the excitement of the people, both in the Spanish film industry, all the colleagues who identify with this film. My neighbors from Ancares, my family, they will be thrilled. The rest is fun, but that's it," he confessed, before switching to Galician and announcing that he will return to Pontevedra on Sunday.
The nomination for Best Sound for Sirat also marks a historic milestone: it is the first time that an all-female team has been nominated in this category: Laia Casanovas, Amanda Villavieja, and Yasmina Praderas led the sound in a film where sound was almost the protagonist. "It's fortunate to find women in the mixing room. Little by little, we see female teams, and it's a luxury to combine forces and sensitivity," they emphasized. "It was about time. It shouldn't be so rare to see three nominated women, sometimes the Oscars surpass science fiction."
Before the announcement of the nominations for the 2026 Oscars, Sirat had already made history. Never before had a Spanish film achieved a simultaneous preselection in five categories. In addition to aspiring to the nomination for Best International Film, competing against titles like the Brazilian The Secret Agent, the Norwegian Sentimental Value, the French A Simple Accident, or the Tunisian The Voice of Hind, Laxe was also vying to be a finalist for Best Cinematography, Best Original Music, Best Sound, and Best Casting.
Sirat was also the non-American film present in the mostshortlists, as the film that snatched the victory for Best Film at the European Film Awards, Sentimental Value, was in three, just like the German Sound of Falling.
Sirat's journey to conquer Hollywood began solidly, backed by the double nomination at the Golden Globes. Although it left empty-handed, the film gained significant momentum at the European Film Awards (EFA) held last weekend, where Oliver Laxe triumphed in five technical categories.
One of the keys to Oliver Laxe's success is that the film has strong industry support. The production was handled by El Deseo, the company of the Almodóvar brothers, while its distribution in Hollywood is in the hands of Neon, responsible for the campaign that propelled Parasite to stardom.
"I found it very healthy," Laxe confessed about the campaign for Sirat for the Oscars. "You have to share the film, but there is something guild-like, artisanal, linked to the campaign itself. You are sharing the film with people who are craftsmen and who know about cinema." "There is some activism, they want a certain film to win," he continued. "There is enthusiasm, love, there is affection that you feel. A lot of camaraderie, a lot of recognition."