CubaPLUS Magazine

Yuli, the biographical film about Carlos Acosta, received on Wednesday five Goya nominations including the best revelation actor for the famous Cuban dancer.

The feature film by Spanish filmmaker Iciar Bollain is nominated in the remaining sections: best-adapted script, best cinematography, best original music, and best sound, according to the Goya Awards Twitter account. The film narrates the childhood and adolescence of Acosta, marked by material poverty, the rough edges of a marginal environment and the relationship with the family, but above all with his father, a descendant of slaves who baptized him with a nickname: Yuli. This appellation is because they considered him a direct descendant of Ogun, an African god, a warrior. Acosta makes his debut as an actor playing himself when he is an adult and bases the film on his book No Way Home in which he emerged from the depression that caused him loneliness and estrangement from Cuba when he arrived in London to dance at the Royal Ballet. The dancer became the first black artist to be the first dancer of the Royal Ballet of London, where he remained for more than 16 years until two years ago he decided to return to his native country. The 33rd edition of the Goya, considered the Oscars of Spanish cinema, includes a total of 151 feature films, of which 84 are fiction, 63 are documentaries and four are animated. Sixteen Ibero-American films, 47 European and 32 short films (15 fiction, seven documentaries, and 10 animation films) are also competing.