Xcaret Hosts Stars at the Platino Awards

Xcaret, Quintana Roo — The 13th edition of the Platino Awards kicked off Wednesday with an unprecedented gala, marking the first time in the awards’ history that 21 of the 36 trophies were presented in a separate ceremony honoring the best of Ibero-American film and television.

Although the 21 winners — mostly in technical categories — had already been announced, the event served as the opening for the awards activities that will culminate Thursday in the final gala at the Gran Tlachco Theater in Xcaret Park.

In this first round, the Argentine series El Eternauta, an adaptation of Héctor Germán Oesterheld’s illustrated novel, won five technical Platino awards in television categories. The Spanish series Anatomía de un instante, based on Javier Cercas’ novel of the same name, took home four.

The gala, hosted by Colombian actor Carlos Torres and Spanish actress Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, also had a reivindicative tone, with several winners calling for collective work over individualism.

Recipients used their acceptance speeches to champion values such as courage, bravery, love, and struggle as fundamental elements of life, as expressed by Argentine actress Camila Plaate, recognized for her role in the film Belén.

Spanish actor Álvaro Cervantes, winner of Best Male Actor in a Feature Film for Sorda, called for “subtitled and accessible cinema for everyone.” Argentine Andrea Pietra and Uruguayan César Troncoso received their awards for El Eternauta.

Before the gala concluded, Camila Plaate returned to the stage, this time accompanied by actress and director Dolores Fonzi and producer Leticia Cristi, to accept the Cinema and Education in Values Award for Belén.