20/11/2020 - Iryna Tsilyk’s film has emerged triumphant in the Official Section – ZIFF. ZINEBI First Film at the 62nd, hybrid edition of the Bilbao-based festival

The jury of the Official Section – ZIFF. ZINEBI First Film, made up of Argentinian audiovisual archivist Carolina Cappa, French filmmaker and artistic director of the La Roche-sur-Yon International Film Festival Charlotte Serrand, and Spanish director and editor Diana Toucedo (Thirty Souls [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Diana Toucedo
film profile]), has announced its verdict at the 62^nd Zinebi. Bilbao International Documentary and Short Film Festival, which was held both on site and online (via the Filmin and FestHome platforms) between 13 and 20 November. The winning title was the magnificent, optimistic and sensitive movie The Earth Is Blue as an Orange [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Iryna Tsilyk
film profile], a Ukrainian-Lithuanian production directed by Iryna Tsilyk.

In the third Bilbao Professional Documentary Film Forum (organised by the Basque Producers’ Association and Zinebi, in conjunction with ETB, Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Basque Country and Zineuskadi), at which eight feature-film projects in development or in production were presented, the winner – which receives a €10,000 prize – was Bayo Bayo Bay, a Spanish-Danish co-production staged by Kanaki Films, Caballo Films and Snowglobe Films, set to be directed by Amaia Ramírez.

Furthermore, the jury members for the Official Section – International Short Film Competition (made up of Ecuadorian film programmer Anette Dujisin, Argentinian producer Eugenia Mumenthaler, Basque director and producer Izibene Oñederra, Portuguese film researcher and author Daniel Ribas and Basque author, screenwriter and journalist Txani Rodríguez) weighed up the 60 titles in competition and opted to give the Zinebi Grand Prize to Imperial Irrigation (Germany/Austria/USA), a non-fiction title helmed by Lukas Marxt, while the Grand Prize for Best Basque Short Film was conferred upon Polvo somos, a fiction title by Estíbaliz Urresola (who also scooped the SGAE Foundation Award for Best Screenplay – Basque Council). The Grand Prize for Best Spanish Short Film went to another effort produced in the Basque Country, the documentary Zerua blu by Lur Olaizola.

The Mikeldi Award for Best Short Fiction ended up going to Russia, as it was pocketed by Rio by Zhenia Kazankina; the same trophy, but in the animation category, was bestowed upon Kkum (South Korea) by Kangmin Kin; and the Mikeldi Award for Best Short Documentary was picked up by Paul Heintz, the director of Shanzhài screens (France). Lastly, the UNICEF Award went to En route (Netherlands), a fiction film directed by Marit Weerheijm.

Here is the full list of award winners:

Official Section – ZIFF. ZINEBI First Film

Best Film
The Earth Is Blue as an Orange [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Iryna Tsilyk
film profile] - Iryna Tsilyk (Ukraine/Lithuania)

Official Section – International Short Film Competition

Zinebi Grand Prize
Imperial Irrigation - Lukas Marxt (Germany/Austria)

Grand Prize for Best Basque Short Film
Polvo somos - Estíbaliz Urresola

SGAE Foundation Award for Best Screenplay – Basque Council
Polvo somos - Estíbaliz Urresola

Grad Prize for Best Spanish Short Film
Zerua blu - Lur Olaizola

Mikeldi Award for Best Short Fiction
Rio - Zhenia Kazankina (Russia)

Mikeldi Award for Best Short Animation
Kkum - Kangmin Kin (South Korea)

Mikeldi Award for Best Short Documentary
Shanzhài screens - Paul Heintz (France)

UNICEF Award
En route - Marit Weerheijm (Netherlands)

Third Bilbao Professional Documentary Film Forum

Best Project
Bayo Bayo Bay - Amaia Ramírez (Spain/Denmark)
Producers: Kanaki Films, Caballo Films, Snowglobe Films

(Translated from Spanish)