Sound in cinema will have its big night with the first edition of the APSA Awards

The Association of Audiovisual Sound Professionals (APSA) will be held next April 18 in the new room Dolby Atmos of the Film Academy in Madrid the APSA Sound Awards 2026, an initiative that seeks to recognize the “artistic and technical excellence” of sound in film and audiovisuals.

The APSA 2026 Awards will feature nine categories, seven competitive and two special distinctions, which seek make visible the work of the different audiovisual sound departments and reinforce its essential role in narrative construction. With this initiative, APSA seeks to take “a decisive step” in the institutional recognition of sound as a creative language and structural element of contemporary cinema.

One of the special awards will be APSA Honor Award, which represents the highest recognition granted by the Association of Audiovisual Sound Professionals to an “exemplary career” dedicated to the art and technique of sound in film and audiovisual. "This award celebrates those who, with their talent, commitment and excellence, have left a deep mark on the profession, inspiring generations and raising the sound quality of our stories. More than a distinction, this award constitutes a tribute to a lifetime of significant contributions to the sound universe that gives soul and emotion to cinema," explains the association.

On the other hand, the APSA “Film Ear” Award wants to recognize those directors and producers who give sound a central place in the artistic construction of their feature films, considering the medium not as a complement but as an “expressive language” capable of transforming the audience's gaze.

While waiting to know the details of the remaining categories and their respective nominees, APSA has announced what its statuette: a rectangular prism that will represent recording, editing and mixing, the “three great departments” of audiovisual sound. Carved in marble, a noble and timeless material, it symbolizes the process that defines sound work: polishing the raw material until it reaches its final form.