2016 Fenix Awards Winners: Pablo Larraín’s ‘Neruda’ Named Best Picture of the Year

Pablo Larraín’s “Jackie” may be getting Oscar buzz, but it’s not his only film up for contention. His Spanish-language picture “Neruda,” starring Luis Gnecco and Gael García Bernal, has also been well received by critics, especially at the 2016 Fenix Awards — it took home four prizes, including Best Picture and Best Editing.

The drama, which is also Chile’s official Oscar entry for Best Foreign-Language Film, tells the story of poet Pablo Neruda (Gnecco), arguably the most famous communist in post-WWII Chile. When the political tides shift, he is forced into hiding with tenacious police inspector Oscar Peluchoneau (Bernal) hot on his trail.

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READ MORE: How The Fenix Awards Became Mexico’s Secret Weapon at the Oscars

The third annual Fenix Ibero-American Film Awards took place on December 7 in Mexico City and honored the best in film from Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

Another big hit of the night was Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Brazilian-French drama “Aquarius,” which won Best Director and Best Actress for Sonia Braga’s performance. Other winners included “The Clan” by Vicente D’Elia and Tatiana Huezo’s “Tempestad.”

Last year Colombian filmmaker Ciro Guerre’s “Embrace of the Serpent” won four trophies at the awards ceremony, two months before it got an Oscar nomination. Will “Neruda” follow the same path? We’ll have to wait and see.

READ MORE: ‘Neruda’ Trailer: Pablo Larraín’s Other Oscar Hopeful Gets a Rousing New Look — Watch

Check out the full list of winners below:

BEST PICTURE

“Neruda,” (Pablo Larraín, Chile, France, Spain, Argentina)

DIRECTOR

Kleber Mendoça, (“Aquarius,” Brazil, France)

ACTRESS

Sonia Braga, “Aquarius”

ACTOR

Guillermo Francella, (“The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, Argentina, Spain)

SCREENPLAY

“Neon Bull” (Gabriel Mascaro, Brazil, Uruguay, Netherlands)

CINEMATOGRAPHY, FICTION

Diego Garcia (“Neon Bull”)

EDITING

“Neruda” (Herve Schneid)

SOUND

“The Clan” (Vicente D’Elia, Leandro de Loredo)

ORIGINAL SCORE

Leonardo Heiblum, Jacobo Lieberman (“Tempestad,” Tatiana Huezo, Mexico)

COSTUME DESIGN

Muriel Parra (“Neruda”)

ART DESIGN

Estefania Larrain (“Neruda”)

BEST DOCUMENTARY

“Tempestad”

CINEMATOGRAPHY, DOCUMENTARY

Ernesto Pardo (“Tempestad”)

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