Our take

There are movies that leave you matured after you finished watching. You mature because you are forced to walk in someone’s shoes and confront yourself with issues that you are not affected by. The Sea Inside is one of those movies –⁠ and won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for it. Directed by Alejandro Amenábar, who you might know as the director of The Others, it tells the true story of Ramón Sampedro’s decade-long fight for the right to end his own life. After he became quadriplegic after a diving accident, he was confined to the same bed in the same room for 26 years, except when he visited the hospital. Not an easy subject to say the least but Amenábar helps the fascinating story along with stylish directing, while Javier Bardem delivers a stellar performance to go with it. Thanks also to Ramón Sampedro’s sunny real-life nature, this heart-wrenching watch also has plenty of uplifting moments.

What it won

Awards

Oscars

1 win · 1 nom

Won: Best Foreign Language FilmNominated: Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Venice

3 wins

Won: Best ActorWon: Best International Film (Young Cinema Award)Won: Special Jury Prize

Golden Globes

1 win · 1 nom

Won: Best Foreign Language FilmNominated: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture

Spirit Awards

1 win

Won: Best Foreign Film

Nat. Board of Review

2 wins

Won: Best Foreign Language FilmWon: Top Foreign Films

European Film Awards

2 wins · 3 noms

Won: European ActorWon: European DirectorNominated: European CinematographerNominated: European FilmNominated: European Screenwriter

César Awards

1 nom

Nominated: Best Foreign Film

Goya Awards

13 wins · 2 noms

Won: Best ActorWon: Best ActressWon: Best CinematographyWon: Best DirectorWon: Best FilmWon: Best Make-Up and HairstylesWon: Best New ActorWon: Best New ActressWon: Best Original ScoreWon: Best Production SupervisionNominated: Best ScreenplayWon: Best SoundWon: Best Supporting ActorWon: Best Supporting ActressNominated: Best Production Design

The story

What happens

Ramón Sampedro is a ship mechanic and part-time poet left a quadriplegic following a diving accident. Ramón fought for 30 years for the legal right to end his own life. He develops close relationships with his long-term lawyer Julia and his friend Rosa, who tries to convince him that his life is worth living. Despite his situation, Ramón manages to inspire those around him to live life to the fullest.

Elsewhere