# Goya Award for Best Director

The Goya Award for Best Director (Spanish: Premio Goya a la mejor dirección) is one of the Goya Awards, Spain's principal national film awards. The category has been presented ever since the first edition of the Goya Awards. Fernando Fernán Gómez was the first winner of this award for his film Voyage to Nowhere.
Pedro Almodóvar holds the record of most wins and nominations for this category, with three wins out of twelve nominations, winning for All About My Mother (1999), Volver (2006) and Pain and Glory (2019). Fernando León de Aranoa, who won for Barrio (1998), Mondays in the Sun (2002) and The Good Boss (2021), and J. A. Bayona, who won for The Impossible (2012), A Monster Calls (2015), and Society of the Snow (2023), share the record of most wins. Directors Fernando Trueba, Alejandro Amenábar, Isabel Coixet, and Rodrigo Sorogoyen have received this award twice.
In the list below the winner of the award for each year is shown first, followed by the other nominees.

## Winners and nominees
### 1980s

| Year | Director | English title | Original title |
| 1986 (1st) | Fernando Fernán Gómez | Voyage to Nowhere | El viaje a ninguna parte |
| 1986 (1st) | Emilio Martínez Lázaro | Lulu by Night | Lulú de noche |
| 1986 (1st) | Pilar Miró | Werther | Werther |
| 1987 (2nd) | José Luis Garci | Course Completed | Asignatura aprobada |
| 1987 (2nd) | Bigas Luna | Anguish | Angustia |
| 1987 (2nd) | Vicente Aranda | El Lute: Run for Your Life | El Lute: camina o revienta |
| 1988 (3rd) | Gonzalo Suárez | Rowing with the Wind | Remando al viento |
| 1988 (3rd) | Pedro Almodóvar | Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown | Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios |
| 1988 (3rd) | Ricardo Franco | Berlin Blues | Berlín Blues |
| 1988 (3rd) | Antonio Mercero | Wait for Me in Heaven | Espérame en el cielo |
| 1988 (3rd) | Francisco Regueiro | Winter Diary | Diario de invierno |
| 1989 (4th) | Fernando Trueba | Twisted Obsession | El sueño del mono loco |
| 1989 (4th) | Vicente Aranda | If They Tell You I Fell | Si te dicen que caí |
| 1989 (4th) | Fernando Fernán Gómez | The Sea and the Weather | El mar y el tiempo |
| 1989 (4th) | Josefina Molina | Esquilache | Esquilache |
| 1989 (4th) | Agustí Villaronga | Moon Child | El niño de la luna |

### 1990s

| Year | Director | English title | Original title |
| 1990 (5th) | Carlos Saura | ¡Ay, Carmela! | ¡Ay, Carmela! |
| 1990 (5th) | Pedro Almodóvar | Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! | ¡Átame! |
| 1990 (5th) | Montxo Armendáriz | Letters from Alou | Las cartas de Alou |
| 1991 (6th) | Vicente Aranda | Lovers | Amantes |
| 1991 (6th) | Pilar Miró | Prince of Shadows | Beltenebros |
| 1991 (6th) | Imanol Uribe | The Dumbfounded King | El rey pasmado |
| 1992 (7th) | Fernando Trueba | Belle Époque | Belle Époque |
| 1992 (7th) | Bigas Luna | A Tale of Ham and Passion | Jamón, jamón |
| 1992 (7th) | Pedro Olea | The Fencing Master | El maestro de esgrima |
| 1993 (8th) | Luis García Berlanga | Everyone to Jail | Todos a la cárcel |
| 1993 (8th) | Vicente Aranda | Intruder | Intruso |
| 1993 (8th) | Juanma Bajo Ulloa | The Dead Mother | La madre muerta |
| 1994 (9th) | Imanol Uribe | Running Out of Time | Días contados |
| 1994 (9th) | Vicente Aranda | Turkish Passion | La pasión turca |
| 1994 (9th) | José Luis Garci | Cradle Song | Canción de cuna |
| 1995 (10th) | Álex de la Iglesia | The Day of the Beast | El día de la bestia |
| 1995 (10th) | Pedro Almodóvar | The Flower of My Secret | La flor de mi secreto |
| 1995 (10th) | Manuel Gómez Pereira | Mouth to Mouth | Boca a boca |
| 1996 (11th) | Pilar Miró | The Dog in the Manger | El perro del hortelano |
| 1996 (11th) | Julio Medem | Earth | Tierra |
| 1996 (11th) | Imanol Uribe | Bwana | Bwana |
| 1997 (12th) | Ricardo Franco | The Lucky Star | La buena estrella |
| 1997 (12th) | Adolfo Aristarain | Martín (Hache) | Martín (Hache) |
| 1997 (12th) | Montxo Armendáriz | Secrets of the Heart | Secretos del corazón |
| 1998 (13th) | Fernando León de Aranoa | Barrio | Barrio |
| 1998 (13th) | Alejandro Amenábar | Open Your Eyes | Abre los ojos |
| 1998 (13th) | José Luis Garci | The Grandfather | El abuelo |
| 1998 (13th) | Fernando Trueba | The Girl of Your Dreams | La niña de tus ojos |
| 1999 (14th) | Pedro Almodóvar | All About My Mother | Todo sobre mi madre |
| 1999 (14th) | José Luis Cuerda | Butterfly's Tongue | La lengua de las mariposas |
| 1999 (14th) | Gracia Querejeta | By My Side Again | Cuando vuelvas a mi lado |
| 1999 (14th) | Benito Zambrano | Solas | Solas |

### 2000s

| Year | Director | English title | Original title |
| 2000 (15th) | José Luis Borau | Leo | Leo |
| 2000 (15th) | Jaime Chávarri | Kisses for Everyone | Besos para todos |
| 2000 (15th) | Álex de la Iglesia | Common Wealth | La comunidad |
| 2000 (15th) | José Luis Garci | You're the One | Una historia de entonces |
| 2001 (16th) | Alejandro Amenábar | The Others | Los Otros |
| 2001 (16th) | Vicente Aranda | Mad Love | Juana la Loca |
| 2001 (16th) | Agustín Díaz | Don't Tempt Me | Sin noticias de Dios |
| 2001 (16th) | Julio Medem | Sex and Lucia | Lucía y el sexo |
| 2002 (17th) | Fernando León de Aranoa | Mondays in the Sun | Los lunes al sol |
| 2002 (17th) | Pedro Almodóvar | Talk to Her | Hable con ella |
| 2002 (17th) | Antonio Hernández | In the City Without Limits | En la ciudad sin límites |
| 2002 (17th) | Emilio Martínez Lázaro | The Other Side of the Bed | El otro lado de la cama |
| 2003 (18th) | Icíar Bollaín | Take My Eyes | Te doy mis ojos |
| 2003 (18th) | Isabel Coixet | My Life Without Me | Mi vida sin mí |
| 2003 (18th) | Cesc Gay | In the City | En la ciudad |
| 2003 (18th) | David Trueba | Soldiers of Salamina | Soldados de Salamina |
| 2004 (19th) | Alejandro Amenábar | The Sea Inside | Mar adentro |
| 2004 (19th) | Pedro Almodóvar | Bad Education | La mala educación |
| 2004 (19th) | Adolfo Aristarain | Roma | Roma |
| 2004 (19th) | Carlos Saura | The Seventh Day | El séptimo día |
| 2005 (20th) | Isabel Coixet | The Secret Life of Words | La vida secreta de las palabras |
| 2005 (20th) | Montxo Armendáriz | Obaba | Obaba |
| 2005 (20th) | Alberto Rodríguez | 7 Virgins | 7 vírgenes |
| 2005 (20th) | Benito Zambrano | Habana Blues | Habana Blues |
| 2006 (21st) | Pedro Almodóvar | Volver | Volver |
| 2006 (21st) | Agustín Díaz | Alatriste | Alatriste |
| 2006 (21st) | Manuel Huerga | Salvador | Salvador |
| 2006 (21st) | Guillermo del Toro | Pan's Labyrinth | El laberinto del fauno |
| 2007 (22nd) | Jaime Rosales | Solitary Fragments | La soledad |
| 2007 (22nd) | Icíar Bollaín | Mataharis | Mataharis |
| 2007 (22nd) | Emilio Martínez Lázaro | 13 Roses | Las 13 rosas |
| 2007 (22nd) | Gracia Querejeta | Seven Billiard Tables | Siete mesas de billar francés |
| 2008 (23rd) | Javier Fesser | Camino | Camino |
| 2008 (23rd) | José Luis Cuerda | The Blind Sunflowers | Los girasoles ciegos |
| 2008 (23rd) | Agustín Díaz | Just Walking | Sólo quiero caminar |
| 2008 (23rd) | Álex de la Iglesia | The Oxford Murders | The Oxford Murders |
| 2009 (24th) | Daniel Monzón | Cell 211 | Celda 211 |
| 2009 (24th) | Juan José Campanella | The Secret in Their Eyes | El secreto de sus ojos |
| 2009 (24th) | Alejandro Amenábar | Agora | Ágora |
| 2009 (24th) | Fernando Trueba | The Dancer and the Thief | El baile de la victoria |

### 2010s

| Year | Director | English title | Original title |
| 2010 (25th) | Agustí Villaronga | Black Bread | Pa negre (Pan negro) |
| 2010 (25th) | Rodrigo Cortés | Buried | Buried |
| 2010 (25th) | Álex de la Iglesia | The Last Circus | Balada triste de trompeta |
| 2010 (25th) | Icíar Bollaín | Even the Rain | También la lluvia |
| 2011 (26th) | Enrique Urbizu | No Rest for the Wicked | No habrá paz para los malvados |
| 2011 (26th) | Pedro Almodóvar | The Skin I Live In | La Piel que habito |
| 2011 (26th) | Mateo Gil | Blackthorn | Blackthorn |
| 2011 (26th) | Benito Zambrano | The Sleeping Voice | La voz dormida |
| 2012 (27th) | J. A. Bayona | The Impossible | Lo imposible |
| 2012 (27th) | Pablo Berger | Blancanieves | Blancanieves |
| 2012 (27th) | Alberto Rodríguez | Unit 7 | Grupo 7 |
| 2012 (27th) | Fernando Trueba | The Artist and the Model | El artista y la modelo |
| 2013 (28th) | David Trueba | Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed | Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados |
| 2013 (28th) | Gracia Querejeta | 15 Years and One Day | 15 años y un día |
| 2013 (28th) | Manuel Martín Cuenca | Cannibal | Caníbal |
| 2013 (28th) | Daniel Sánchez Arévalo | Family United | La gran familia española |
| 2014 (29th) | Alberto Rodríguez | Marshland | La isla mínima |
| 2014 (29th) | Daniel Monzón | El Niño | El Niño |
| 2014 (29th) | Carlos Vermut | Magical Girl | Magical Girl |
| 2014 (29th) | Damián Szifrón | Wild Tales | Relatos salvajes |
| 2015 (30th) | Cesc Gay | Truman | Truman |
| 2015 (30th) | Paula Ortiz | The Bride | La novia |
| 2015 (30th) | Isabel Coixet | Nobody Wants the Night | Nadie quiere la noche |
| 2015 (30th) | Fernando León de Aranoa | A Perfect Day | Un día perfecto |
| 2016 (31st) | J. A. Bayona | A Monster Calls | A Monster Calls |
| 2016 (31st) | Pedro Almodóvar | Julieta | Julieta |
| 2016 (31st) | Alberto Rodríguez | Smoke & Mirrors | El hombre de las mil caras |
| 2016 (31st) | Rodrigo Sorogoyen | May God Save Us | Que Dios nos perdone |
| 2017 (32nd) | Isabel Coixet | The Bookshop | La librería |
| 2017 (32nd) | Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño | Giant | Handia |
| 2017 (32nd) | Manuel Martín Cuenca | The Motive | El autor |
| 2017 (32nd) | Paco Plaza | Veronica | Verónica |
| 2018 (33rd) | Rodrigo Sorogoyen | The Realm | El reino |
| 2018 (33rd) | Javier Fesser | Champions | Campeones |
| 2018 (33rd) | Isaki Lacuesta | Between Two Waters | Entre dos aguas |
| 2018 (33rd) | Asghar Farhadi | Everybody Knows | Todos lo saben |
| 2019 (34th) | Pedro Almodóvar | Pain and Glory | Dolor y gloria |
| 2019 (34th) | Alejandro Amenábar | While at War | Mientras dure la guerra |
| 2019 (34th) | Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño and José Mari Goenaga | The Endless Trench | La trinchera infinita |
| 2019 (34th) | Oliver Laxe | Fire Will Come | O que arde |

### 2020s

| Year | Director | English title | Original title |
| 2020 (35th) | Salvador Calvo | Adú | Adú |
| 2020 (35th) | Juanma Bajo Ulloa | Baby | Baby |
| 2020 (35th) | Icíar Bollaín | Rosa's Wedding | La boda de Rosa |
| 2020 (35th) | Isabel Coixet | It Snows in Benidorm | Nieva en Benidorm |
| 2021 (36th) | Fernando León de Aranoa | The Good Boss | El buen patrón |
| 2021 (36th) | Manuel Martín Cuenca | The Daughter | La hija |
| 2021 (36th) | Icíar Bollaín | Maixabel | Maixabel |
| 2021 (36th) | Pedro Almodóvar | Parallel Mothers | Madres paralelas |
| 2022 (37th) | Rodrigo Sorogoyen | The Beasts | As bestas |
| 2022 (37th) | Carla Simón | Alcarràs | Alcarràs |
| 2022 (37th) | Pilar Palomero | Motherhood | La maternal |
| 2022 (37th) | Carlos Vermut | Manticore | Mantícora |
| 2022 (37th) | Alberto Rodríguez | Prison 77 | Modelo 77 |
| 2023 (38th) | J.A. Bayona | Society of the Snow | La sociedad de la nieve |
| 2023 (38th) | Víctor Erice | Close Your Eyes | Cerrar los ojos |
| 2023 (38th) | Isabel Coixet | Un amor | Un amor |
| 2023 (38th) | David Trueba | Jokes & Cigarettes | Saben aquell |
| 2023 (38th) | Elena Martín | Creatura | Creatura |
| 2024 (39th) | Isaki Lacuesta, Pol Rodríguez | Saturn Return | Segundo premio |
| 2024 (39th) | Pedro Almodóvar | The Room Next Door | La habitación de al lado |
| 2024 (39th) | Arantxa Echevarría | Undercover | La infiltrada |
| 2024 (39th) | Paula Ortiz | The Red Virgin | La virgen roja |
| 2024 (39th) | Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño | Marco, the Invented Truth | Marco, la verdad inventada |

## Multiple nominations

The following 35 directors have received multiple Best Director nominations.
| Name | Awards | Nominations |
| Pedro Almodóvar | 3 | 12 |
| Fernando León de Aranoa | 3 | 4 |
| J. A. Bayona | 3 | 3 |
| Isabel Coixet | 2 | 6 |
| Fernando Trueba | 2 | 5 |
| Alejandro Amenábar | 2 | 5 |
| Rodrigo Sorogoyen | 2 | 3 |
| Vicente Aranda | 1 | 6 |
| Icíar Bollaín | 1 | 5 |
| Alberto Rodríguez | 1 | 5 |
| José Luis Garci | 1 | 4 |
| Álex de la Iglesia | 1 | 4 |
| Pilar Miró | 1 | 3 |
| Imanol Uribe | 1 | 3 |
| David Trueba | 1 | 3 |
| Fernando Fernán Gómez | 1 | 2 |
| Ricardo Franco | 1 | 2 |
| Carlos Saura | 1 | 2 |
| Agustí Villaronga | 1 | 2 |
| Daniel Monzón | 1 | 2 |
| Cesc Gay | 1 | 2 |
| Javier Fesser | 1 | 2 |
| Isaki Lacuesta | 1 | 2 |
| Montxo Armendáriz | 0 | 3 |
| Agustín Díaz Yanes | 0 | 3 |
| Emilio Martínez Lázaro | 0 | 3 |
| Gracia Querejeta | 0 | 3 |
| Benito Zambrano | 0 | 3 |
| Manuel Martín Cuenca | 0 | 3 |
| Aitor Arregi | 0 | 3 |
| Jon Garaño | 0 | 3 |
| Adolfo Aristarain | 0 | 2 |
| José Luis Cuerda | 0 | 2 |
| Bigas Luna | 0 | 2 |
| Julio Medem | 0 | 2 |
| Juanma Bajo Ulloa | 0 | 2 |
| Carlos Vermut | 0 | 2 |
| Paula Ortiz | 0 | 2 |