'Mother' top pic at Goyas

Almodovar's pic wins best film, director, actress

By JOHN HOPEWELL

BARCELONA, Spain -- He came, he looked unusually nervous, he finally conquered again. Pedro Almodovar's "All About My Mother" took Goyas -- Spain's top film award -- for best film, director and actress (Cecilia Roth) at the 14th Spanish Film Academy Awards, held Saturday.

Almodovar had previously won only one best film Goya, in 1989 for "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown."

If it was Almodovar's night, he was made to wait for it. Benito Zambrano's first pic, "Alone," swept most secondary thesp awards plus the new director statue for Zambrano himself.

"Goya in Bordeaux," the latest Carlos Saura-Vittorio Storaro combo, then cleaned up most of the technical awards, climaxing with a best cinematography plaudit for Storaro.

Spanish TV cameras focused on Almodovar as Spain's coolest helmer began to look everely discomfited in the limelight.

"Mother" finally broke through as Esther Garcia won the best production direction award. Francisco Rabal received the warmest reception of the night, winning best actor for Saura's "Goya."

But Almodovar brought the Academy to its feet again, taking best director and film. And, back in character, Almodovar had the nerve to lead a Marilyn Monroe-style round of "Happy Birthday" for Spain's Prince Felipe, who presided over the ceremony.