Sofía Otero

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Otero and the second or maternal family name is Labrador.
Sofía Otero
Otero in 2023
Born
Sofía Otero Labrador

(2013-03-31) 31 March 2013 (age 11)
Barakaldo, Basque Country, Spain
OccupationActress
Years active2022–present
AwardsSilver Bear for Best Leading Performance
2023 20,000 Species of Bees

Sofía Otero Labrador (born 31 March 2013) is a Spanish child actress, who played a starring role in her film debut in 20,000 Species of Bees. The film won her the 2023 Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, becoming the youngest person to win the award.

Biography

Otero was born 31 March 2013 in Barakaldo and lives in Basauri, Spain.[1] She made her film debut when director Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren cast her as the protagonist for 20,000 Species of Bees after auditioning 500 girls.[1][2] The film tells the story of a transgender girl and her relationship with her family.[3][4] To help an accurate portrayal, Naizen [eu; es], a regional association for the families of transgender minors, worked with the director and provided guidance for Otero.[5] Stephanie Bunbury of Deadline Hollywood praised Otero's performance, writing that she "shows an instinctive, unforced and generous understanding of how difficult her character's life must be."[6] Lee Marshall of Screen Daily wrote that "Sofia Otero is never less than compelling, her face a deep pool that becomes a magnet for the audience".[7]

In 2023, Otero joined the cast of Martín Cuervo's comedy Quién es quién, a remake of the 2020 French film Le Sens de la famille [fr].[8] In 2024, she joined the cast of Borja Cobeaga's Los aitas, a comedy film set in the late 1980s about a group of fathers accompanying their daughters to a rhythmic gymnastics championship in Berlin.[9]

Awards

Otero with the 20,000 Species of Bees film crew, Berlinale, January 2023

Otero received several honours for her work in 20,000 Species of Bees, including winning the 2023 Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance,[10][11][12] becoming the youngest actor to have won the award.[13][14] She was also part of the honorees when 20,000 Species Of Bees won the award for a female cast ensemble at the 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival[15] and the Maguey Award for Best Performance by an Ensemble at the 2023 Guadalajara International Film Festival.[16]

In April 2023, the Basauri City Council paid tribute to Otero for winning her Silver Bear award.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b "La niña española Sofía Otero gana el Oso de Plata en la Berlinale" [The Spanish girl Sofía Otero wins the Silver Bear at the Berlinale]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 25 February 2023. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  2. ^ "20,000 Species of Bees pressbook v3" (PDF). Berlinale. 9 February 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  3. ^ Ramón, Esteban (22 February 2023). "'20.000 especies de abejas': la infancia trans en Berlín" ['20,000 Species of Bees': trans childhood in Berlin]. RTVE.es (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Sofía Otero, Oso de Plata en la Berlinale por su interpretación de una niña trans en '20.000 especies de abejas'" [Sofía Otero, Silver Bear at the Berlinale for her portrayal of a trans girl in '20,000 Species of Bees']. LaSexta (in Spanish). Europa Press. 26 February 2023. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  5. ^ Rivas, Idoia (13 March 2023). "Naizen, asociación de familias de menores trans que asesoró a Sofía, ganadora en la Berlinale: "Es una gran actriz que ha sabido mostrar la realidad de nuestros hijos"" [Naizen, association of families of trans minors that advised Sofía, winner at the Berlinale: "She is a great actress who has known how to show the reality of our children"]. Nius Diario (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  6. ^ Bunbury, Stephanie (28 February 2023). "Berlin Review: '20,000 Species Of Bees' Starring 8-Year-Old Silver Bear Winner Sofia Otero". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  7. ^ Marshall, Lee (25 June 2023). "'20,000 Species Of Bees': Berlin Review". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  8. ^ Sánchez Sequera, Marco (18 September 2023). "Comienza el rodaje de la comedia '¿Quién es quién?', dirigida por Martín Cuervo". Audiovisual451.
  9. ^ "Comienza el rodaje de "Los aitas", dirigida por Borja Cobeaga". EiTB. 14 June 2024.
  10. ^ "The theme of transsexuality in childhood opens the Film and Human Rights Festival". Time News. 20 April 2023. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  11. ^ Grenier, Elizabeth (25 February 2023). "Berlinale: Documentary 'On the Adamant' wins Golden Bear". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  12. ^ Roxborough, Scott (25 February 2023). "Berlin: French Documentary 'On the Adamant' Wins Golden Bear for Best Film". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  13. ^ Castaño, Andrés (27 February 2023). "Sofía Otero: ha nacido una estrella de 9 años" [Sofía Otero: a 9-year-old star has been born]. Diario ABC (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  14. ^ Araluzea, Ane (26 February 2023). "La joven actriz de Basauri Sofía Otero, Oso de Plata en la Berlinale por '20.000 especies de abejas'" [The young actress from Basauri, Sofía Otero, wins the Silver Bear at the Berlinale for '20,000 Species of Bees']. Deia (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  15. ^ Rosser, Michael (24 June 2023). "'Stonewalling', 'Totem' win top Hong Kong Firebird Awards". Screen. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Termina FICG38 entre Aplausos y el Estreno del Cortometraje '27'" [FICG38 Ends Amid Applause and the Premiere of the Short Film '27']. FICG 38 (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  17. ^ Larrabeiti, Jon Goikouria (20 April 2023). "Sofia Otero aktore gaztea omenduko du Basaurik Social Antzokian" [The young actress Sofia Otero will be honored at the Basauri Social Theater]. Geuria (in Basque). Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.