News

2023-04-01

Film registrations period opened for the BBK Mendi Film Bilbao-Bizkaia 2023

The deadline for film registrations for the 16th edition of the BBK Mendi Film Bilbao-Bizkaia festival is open from 31 March to 15 September.

The 2023 edition will be held between December 8 and 17. Interested producers, directors and filmmakers must present their works in the aforementioned period.

FILM SUBMISSION & RULES

All those works completed or carried out after January 1, 2021, whose theme is developed or related to the mountain, may participate: mountaineering, climbing, mountain and adventure sports, skiing, extreme sports, ecology, environment, ethnography, nature ...

€24,800 in prizes.  All the prizes of the Official Section will have economic endowment in addition to the "Eguzkilore" Trophy and "Txalaparta" Trophy.

 

Grand Prize/Sari Nagusia/Gran Premio
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 6,000€
Best Director/Zuzendari Onena/Mejor Director/a
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 3,000€
Best Script/Gidoi Onena/Mejor Guion
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 2,000€
Best Cinematography/Argazkilaritza Onena/Mejor Fotografía
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 2,000€
Jury Award/Epaimahaiaren Saria/Premio del Jurado
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 2,000€
Best Original Soundtrack/Soinu Banda Onena/Mejor Banda Sonora original
"Txalaparta" trophy & 2,000€
EITB Award for Best Film in Basque/EITB Saria Euskarazko Film Onenari/Premio EITB a la Mejor Película en Euskera
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 2,000€
Best Mountaineering Film/Mendiko Film Onena/Mejor Película de Alpinismo
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 1,200€
Best Climbing Film/Eskalada Film Onena/Mejor Película de Escalada
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 1,200
Best Culture & Nature Film/Kultura eta Natura Film Onena/Mejor Película de Cultura y Naturaleza
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 1,200€
Best Sport & Adventure Film/Kirol eta Abentura Film Onena/Mejor Película de Deporte y Aventura
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 1,200€
Best Short Film/Film Labur Onena/Mejor Cortometraje
“Eguzkilore” trophy & 1,000€

 

Check here the awarded films of the BBK Mendi Film Bilbao - Bizkaia.

In the 2022 edition, 190 films were submitted. 59 of them were selected to complete the Mendi Film program.

Additionally...

2023-09-15

'Mission to Mars' will be screened out of competition in the Zinemira section. Amat Vallmajor del Pozo's film participated in WIP Europe, was also screened at the Berlin Critics' Week and earned a mention at the Gijón Film Festival. The feature film, produced by Elias Querejeta Zine Eskola, Muxika Zinema and Vitrine Films, portrays a post-apocalyptic Basque Country, where two brothers set off on a mission. We spoke to the director about his participation in the San Sebastian Festival and the challenges he has set himself ahead of the film's theatrical release on 29 September.

"Although its aesthetics are dark and radical, 'Mission to Mars' appeals to everyone, as well as to human relationships, in particular that of three brothers"

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2023-09-12

After winning the FIPRESCI Prize in Tallinn (Estonia) and the Best Film Award at the Kolkata Film Festival (India), 'Upon Entry', the debut feature film by Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Vásquez, will feature in the Made in Spain section of the San Sebastian Festival. Carlos Juarez, from Basque Films (one of the producers of the film together with Zabriskie Films and Sygnatia), assesses the background behind this film.

"Upon Entry, being a film d'auteur, was aimed more at prestige audiences than the mainstream, but we succeeded in bringing it closer to being a thriller"

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2023-09-01
The San Sebastian Film Festival will be represented by a total of 14 Basque productions at its 71st edition

A key event on the international film scene kicks off on 22 September, the 71st edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival, which will fill the city with cinema until 30 September. In addition, the event will have a considerable Basque presence, as it has selected a total of 14 works that show the excellent state of audiovisual production in the Basque Country.

The San Sebastian Film Festival will be represented by a total of 14 Basque productions at its 71st edition

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2023-08-29
Basque director Victor Iriarte's 'Foremost by Night' will make its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

Tomorrow, 30 August, the Venice International Film Festival, one of the world's most prestigious film festivals, will begin. Basque director Víctor Iriarte will present his debut film 'Foremost by Night'.

Basque director Victor Iriarte's 'Foremost by Night' will make its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

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2023-08-17
“The ultimate goal of filmmaking is to share a film in the cinema, and it means a lot for it to happen in a prestigious section like Giornate”

Víctor Iriarte will debut his film ‘Foremost By Night’ at Venice International Film Festival, which begins on 30 August. In this interview, the director tells us how he is approaching this prestigious event.

“The ultimate goal of filmmaking is to share a film in the cinema, and it means a lot for it to happen in a prestigious section like Giornate”

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2023-08-12
‘Negu Hurbilak’ receives Special Mention from the Jury of Cineasti del Presente section at Locarno Film Festival

The film, directed by Ekain Albite, Adrià Roca, Nicolau Mallofré and Mikel Ibarguren and produced by Maluta films and Cornelius Films, has celebrated its world premiere in the Swiss city and competed with 13 other films by emerging filmmakers presenting their first or second feature-length films.

‘Negu Hurbilak’ receives Special Mention from the Jury of Cineasti del Presente section at Locarno Film Festival

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2023-08-01
Strong Presence of Basque Cinema at Prestigious Locarno Festival

The Locarno Festival, one of the main events for experimental and auteur cinema, will take place starting tomorrow, August 2nd, and will provide the perfect platform for the world premiere of the film 'Negu Hurbilak', which has been chosen to participate in the Cineasti del Presente section.

Strong Presence of Basque Cinema at Prestigious Locarno Festival

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2023-07-18
‘Anekumen’, selected to participate in Locarno Residency

‘Anekumen’, selected to participate in Locarno Residency

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2023-07-14
Three Basque productions competing at the San Sebastian Festival

Three Basque productions competing at the San Sebastian Festival

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2023-07-05
‘Negu hurbilak’ will have its premiere at Locarno’s Cineasti del Presente competitive section!

‘Negu hurbilak’ will have its premiere at Locarno’s Cineasti del Presente competitive section!

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2023-07-05
“Being at Locarno is a utopian dream come true”

“Being at Locarno is a utopian dream come true”

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2023-06-15
The MENDI TOUR is on par with the best data with 10800 spectators in the first half of the season

Spectacular data and great atmosphere in the Mendi Tour circuit in 2023. In the winter-spring season, during the first half of the year, it has had 34 venues, with a total of 64 film sessions, and 10,800 spectators.

The MENDI TOUR is on par with the best data with 10800 spectators in the first half of the season

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2023-06-09
Basque animation will show its potential at Annecy

Basque animation will show its potential at Annecy

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2023-06-02
CIMASUB comes to BILBAO as part of the Basque Environment and Ocean Week 2023

Itsasmuseum presents in collaboration with Nakusarbe the 2nd edition of the Basque Environment and Ocean Week. A week for marine sustainability and the environment with activities for all audiences that will take place at Itsasmuseum from Monday 5 to Sunday 11 June.

CIMASUB comes to BILBAO as part of the Basque Environment and Ocean Week 2023

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2023-06-01
Call for entries for the CIMASUB 2023 competition is now open

The competition for the 47th edition of the San Sebastian International Underwater Film Festival, CIMASUB 2023, is now underway. The deadline for submitting entries to the competition is officially open, with a deadline of 20 September 2023. You can now submit photo galleries, short films and documentaries to participate in our competition.

Call for entries for the CIMASUB 2023 competition is now open

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2023-06-01

The author of the photograph is Gonzalo Bartolomé Tierra 'Yhabril Moro'

"X-Man" by Yhabril Moro is the image of BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia 2023

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2023-05-30
Basque cinema, protagonist in Kraków

Basque cinema, protagonist in Kraków

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2023-05-15
Cannes, one of the best showcases for Basque cinema

Cannes, one of the best showcases for Basque cinema

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2023-04-28
Dock of the Bay, the Donostia Music Documentary Film Festival, presents its entire program.

The Donostia Music Documentary Film Festival, Dock of the Bay, which will take place from the 1st to the 6th of May, 2023, has presented this morning at a press conference the films in competition. In the words of Eva Rivera, director of the Festival "in this sixteenth edition, we will continue to bet on quality and independent cinema. Offering unprecedented programming and promoting dialogue between creators and spectators. We are committed to inclusion and diversity, to open spaces for reflection and to bring us closer to the world. In addition, we will strive to be a festival respectful of our environment, that promotes slow culture and that you can feel close to. A festival where the human is present and people are the measure of all acts". In this sixteenth edition, 25 documentaries will be screened.

Dock of the Bay, the Donostia Music Documentary Film Festival, presents its entire program.

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2023-04-19
'Contadores', in the Cannes Critic’s Week!

The Cannes Critics' Week has selected the work 'Contadores', by Irati Gorostidi, for the Official Short Films Section. It is a project of the producers Apellaniz and De Sosa, Tractora and Pirenaika, and which has formed part of the catalog Kimuak 2022, which is currently managed by Zineuskadi.

'Contadores', in the Cannes Critic’s Week!

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2023-04-04
Dock of the Bay, the Donostia Music Documentary Film Festival presents its live radio programming and the collaboration with venues in the city such as Altxerri and Dabadaba.

Dock of the Bay, the Donostia Music Documentary Film Festival presents its live radio programming and the collaboration with venues in the city such as Altxerri and Dabadaba.

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2023-03-22
Edurne Pasaban WOP Mendi Film 2023 Award

The WOP-The Walk On Project Foundation and the Mendi Film Festival Association are awarding the WOP Mendi Film 2023 Foundation Award to Edurne Pasaban, mountaineer and businesswoman from Tolosa, Gipuzkoa. She is first woman to complete the 14 eight-thousanders, the highest mountains on the planet. The award ceremony is going to take place at the Opening Ceremony of the 16th edition of BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia, on December the 8th 2023, at the Euskalduna Congress Centre in Bilbao.

Edurne Pasaban WOP Mendi Film 2023 Award

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2023-03-09
Basque cinema will show strength at the Málaga Film Festival

Basque cinema will show strength at the Málaga Film Festival

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2023-03-01
XIX EDITION OF THE SAN SEBASTIAN LAU HAIZETARA DOCUMENTARY CO-PRODUCTION FORUM

The San Sebastian LAU HAIZETARA Documentary Coproduction Forum is preparing the next edition! San Sebastian, 25-27 September 2023 The open call for the presentation of projects will begin in April and will be communicated via the usual channels.

XIX EDITION OF THE SAN SEBASTIAN LAU HAIZETARA DOCUMENTARY CO-PRODUCTION FORUM

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2023-02-25
Estibaliz Urresola and Sofia Otero shine in Berlin

Estibaliz Urresola and Sofia Otero shine in Berlin

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2023-02-22
The International Alliance for Mountain Film is proud to announce that its 2023 Grand Prize has been awarded to Polish director Eliza Kubarska

This year the International Alliance for Mountain Film decided to award the Grand Prize to Eliza Kubarska, in recognition of her career as a director of documentaries capable of investigating the human events hidden behind great adventures

The International Alliance for Mountain Film is proud to announce that its 2023 Grand Prize has been awarded to Polish director Eliza Kubarska

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2023-02-15
Basque cinema will stand out again at Berlinale

Basque cinema will stand out again at Berlinale

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2023-02-10
Basque cinema will try to bring this brilliant year to a marvelous conclusion at the Goya Awards

Basque cinema will try to bring this brilliant year to a marvelous conclusion at the Goya Awards

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2023-02-02
The projects 'Negu hurbilak' and 'Sobre todo de noche', selected to participate at the D'A Film LAB

The projects 'Negu hurbilak' and 'Sobre todo de noche', selected to participate at the D'A Film LAB

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2023-02-02
“With ‘Negu Hurbilak’ in the Work In Progress section of the D’A Film Festival, we finish a stage for the film”

“With ‘Negu Hurbilak’ in the Work In Progress section of the D’A Film Festival, we finish a stage for the film”

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2023-01-24
Basque Audiovisual will be attending to the 'Producers meet Producers' meeting

On January 26th, Basque. Audiovisual. will join to the 'Producers meet Producers' meeting organized within the framework of the FIPADOC Festival.

Basque Audiovisual will be attending to the 'Producers meet Producers' meeting

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2023-01-23
'20.000 species of bees’ and ‘Samsara’ to premiere at Berlinale!

'20.000 species of bees’ and ‘Samsara’ to premiere at Berlinale!

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2022-11-28
Basque productions also protagonists in Ventana Sur

The strength of Basque cinema is evident, once again this year, with the implementation of projects that continue to receive awards, critical acclaim and audience praise, as much at festivals as in cinemas and on streaming platforms.

Basque productions also protagonists in Ventana Sur

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2022-11-11
ZINEBI once again becomes a meeting point for the Basque audiovisual sector

The Bilbao International Documentary and Short Film Festival kicks off today and will run until Friday 18 November.

ZINEBI once again becomes a meeting point for the Basque audiovisual sector

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2022-10-14
New basque tax incentives at MIPCOM - up to 70%

New basque tax incentives at MIPCOM - up to 70%

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2022-09-23
Basque. Audiovisual. launches its new website

Basque. Audiovisual. launches its new website

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2022-08-26
The San Sebastian Film Festival selects 17 Basque

The San Sebastian Film Festival selects 17 Basque

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Social
Networks

basqueaudiovisual

The film ‘20,000 Species of Bees’, directed by Estíbaliz Urresola Solaguren, will be shown at the Calgary International Film Festival (@ciffcalgary) as part of the International Narrative Competition Section. Screenings: ➖ 23rd September: 3:00 PM, Cineplex Eau Claire 6, Calgary ➖ 30th September: 3:15 PM, Cineplex Eau Claire 6, Calgary

basqueaudiovisual

#71SSIFF | "Participating in the Cannes Critics' Week is a significant recognition that helps to give visibility to 'Contadores' and to boost future projects." The San Sebastian Film Festival (@sansebastianfes) will host the short film 'Contadores' as part of the Zabaltegi-Tabakalera section. Directed by Irati Gorostidi, the film premiered at the Cannes Critics' Week and was part of last year's Kimuak catalog. It tells the story of a group of libertarian militants who spend a night in 1978 printing a leaflet. The agreement for the metal industry of the province of Gipuzkoa is about to be signed and they defend the need to continue the struggle. While writing and printing the leaflet, they reflect on personal relationships and speculate on communal living. The next day, in the entrance hall of the factory where they work, they join a workers' meeting and encourage their fellow workers to fight for better conditions. But the growing unionization of the workers' movement has taken away the influence they once had, moving their radical political project into irrelevance. ❗ Interview available on September 27.

basqueaudiovisual

'Robotia', the film by Diego Matías Cagide and Diego Lucero (Dibulitoon Studio, Kantauri Filma, Paycom Multimedia, Malabar Productions), will be part of the 15th edition of the @weirdmarket__ The Animation, Video Games, and New Media Market will take place from the 26th to the 30th of September in Valencia.

basqueaudiovisual

#71SSIFF | “Despite the difficulties and being invisible, women have made films, are making films and will go on to make films, each with her own point of view” The documentary 'A Deep Breath,' directed by Rosa Zufía and Bertha Gaztelumendi, will make its debut on Tuesday, 26th September at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre as part of the Basque Cinema Gala. Basque women filmmakers both from the past and in the present are the protagonists of this immersion into cinema made by women. Three female divers guide us through the stories of their films, their vision, their dreams, their efforts to plough ahead and, above all, their contribution to cinema as a whole. ❗ Interview available September 26