Spanish Cinema Writers Circle Awards 2008

Seven Billiard Tables with Maribel Verdú and Blanca Portillo. Gracia Querejeta’s drama Seven Billiard Tables / Siete mesas de billar francés was shortlisted for nine Spanish Cinema Writers Circle (CEC) Awards, ultimately winning two: Best Film and Best Actress for Maribel Verdú (Y Tu Mamá También, Pan’s Labyrinth). The story of a woman attempting to resurrect her deceased father’s failed billiard joint, Seven Billiard Tables is also up for 10 Goya Awards. Also in the cast: Blanca Portillo (seen in Pedro Almodóvar’s Volver), Jesús Castejón, Enrique Villén, Raúl Arévalo, Amparo Baró, and José Luis García Pérez.

There’s more: the Spanish Cinema Writers Circle named Gracia Querejeta’s Seven Billiard Tables / Siete mesas de billar francés the best Spanish release of 2007. Best Actress winner Maribel Verdú stars as a woman who, following the death of her father and the disappearance of her husband, decides to begin a new life of her own by resurrecting her deceased father’s old (and failed) business: a local joint with seven billiard tables.

Spanish Film Writers Circle Awards 2008: Seven Billiard Tables

Best Film
* Seven Billiard Tables / Siete mesas de billar francés, Gracia Querejeta.
Solitary Fragments / La Soledad, Jaime Rosales.
The Orphanage / El orfanato, J.A. Bayona.
Mataharis, Icíar Bollaín.

Best Foreign Film
* The Lives of Others / Das leben der anderen, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (Germany).
Once, John Carney (Ireland).
Ratatouille, Brad Bird (United States).
Apocalypto, Mel Gibson (United States).

Best Director
Icíar Bollaín, Mataharis.
Gracia Querejeta, Seven Billiard Tables.
* Jaime Rosales, Solitary Fragments.
J.A. Bayona, The Orphanage.

Best Actor
* Alfredo Landa, Sunday Light / Luz de domingo.
Alberto San Juan, Under the Stars / Bajo las estrellas.
Juan José Ballesta, Thieves / Ladrones.
Tristán Ulloa, Mataharis.

Best Actress
* Maribel Verdú, Seven Billiard Tables.
Belén Rueda, The Orphanage.
Blanca Portillo, Seven Billiard Tables.
Najwa Nimri, Mataharis.

Best Supporting Actor
* Carlos Larrañaga, Sunday Light.
Julián Villagrán, Under the Stars.
Manuel Galiana, Sunday Light.
Raúl Arévalo, Seven Billiard Tables.
Jesús Castejón, Seven Billiard Tables.

Best Supporting Actress
* María Vázquez, Mataharis.
Amparo Baró, Seven Billiard Tables.
Nuria González, Mataharis.
Kiti Manver, Sunday Light.

Best Original Screenplay
David Planell & Gracia Querejeta, Seven Billiard Tables.
* Icíar Bollaín & Tatiana Rodríguez, Mataharis.
Jaime Rosales & Enric Rufas, Solitary Fragments.
Sergio G. Sánchez, The Orphanage.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Félix Viscarret, Under the Stars.
* José Luis Garci & Horacio Valcárcel, Sunday Light.
Rodrigo Plá & Laura Santullo, La zona.
Tristán Ulloa, Pudor.

Best Cinematography
Óscar Faura, The Orphanage.
* Félix Monti, Sunday Light.
José Luis López-Linares & Eduardo Serra, Fados.
David Azcano, Thieves.

Best Film Editing
Nacho Ruiz Capillas, Seven Billiard Tables.
* Elena Ruiz, The Orphanage.
Nino Martínez Sosa, Solitary Fragments.
Ángel Hernández Zoido, Mataharis.
David Gallart, [Rec].

Best Score
* Fernando Velázquez, The Orphanage.
Mikel Salas, Under the Stars.
Pablo Cervantes, Sunday Light.
Roque Baños, Las 13 rosas.

Best Documentary
* Fados, Carlos Saura.
Invisibles, Mariano Barroso, Isabel Coixet, Fernando León de Aranoa, Javier Corcuera & Wim Wenders.
El productor, Fernando Méndez Leite.
Las alas de la vida, Antoni P. Canet.

Best Newcomer
* Director J.A. Bayona, The Orphanage.
Director Félix Viscarret, Under the Stars.
Actress Manuela Velasco, [Rec].
Actress Gala Évora, Lola la película.

Honorary Medal: Aurora Bautista

Journalism Medal: José María Caparrós Lera

notes

Maribel Verdú and Blanca Portillo Seven Billiard Tables image: Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas.

*last modified in January 2026.