The Goya awards ceremony held on February 8 was a testimony to the rising success of Catalan cinema, with prizes, applause and a feeling that Catalonia is one of the driving forces of world-class film production. This week on Filling the Sink we put our finger on the pulse of modern Catalan cinema, look back over its history and analyze future trends.

Catalan News journalist Lorcan Doherty highlights the results of the recent Goya and Gaudí awards. We speak with ‘El 47’ director Marcel Barrena and Hollywood filmmaker J. A. Bayona on the red carpet on the night of the Gaudí ceremony. We also discover the secrets to the success of Goya’s Best Supporting Actress Clara Segura, Best Directors Pol Rodríguez and Isaki Lacuesta, and Best Original Screenplay winner Eduard Sola for ‘A House on Fire.’

Host Beth Cohen analyzes the reasons behind the boom in Catalan cinema production and explains the key factors which are contributing to the growth of the film industry, including the fundamental role played by Catalonia’s leading film school, ESCAC.

This week’s Catalan phrase is ‘I van ser feliços i van menjar anissos’ meaning ‘And they all lived happily ever after’. It sounds like the perfect ending for a film.