ZINEBI – International Festival of Documentary and Short Film of Bilbao, organised by Bilbao Town Hall, has now announced the members of the jury panels for the two international competitions in the Official Section.

The panel awarding prizes in the International Short Film Competition will include:

  • The coordinator of the Cannes Festival’s Short Film Corner, Florian Fernandez, who is also a member of the programming committee for the Encounters Film Festival (Bristol, United Kingdom), Festival du Nouveau Cinéma de Montréal (Canada) and SWSW Doc Shorts (United States).
  • Haruka Hama, director of the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (Japan). She also works for film distributor Cinematrix, based in Tokyo, where the Takamine Go film Queer Fish Lane, produced by Haruka Hama, was premiered. She also assists with the coordination of national and international screenings, including curatorship of the 2016 Aichi Triennale Film Programme.
  • Bulgarian film critic, culture journalist and programmer Mariana Hristova, a specialist in Balkan and East European films. She is a frequent associate of publications such as Cineuropa, Talking Shorts or Klassiki Journal. She is a member of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and sits on the selection committee at the Sheffield Doc/Fest (United Kingdom).
  • Basque filmmaker Estibaliz Urresola, director of the feature film 20,000 Species of Bees, premiered in the Official Section at the Berlinale festival, where the film won the Silver Bear Award for Best Performance by Sofía Otero, in addition to the Audience Award and the German Exhibitors’ Award. The film also took the Gold Biznaga Award for Best Film at the Málaga Film Festival. She had previously directed a number of short films such as Polvo somos (which won her ZINEBI’s Grand Award of Basque Cinema 2020 and the Audience Award at the 2021 Málaga Festival), and Cuerdas (premiered at the 2022 Cannes Critics’ Week, and winner of the Forqué Award for Best Short Film).
  • Galician director of animation, illustrator and drawing artist Alberto Vázquez. His books and comics have been published in France, Italy, Brazil and Korea, as well as in Spain, and his illustrations have appeared in magazines and journals all over the world. He wrote and directed short animation films such as Birdboy, Sangre de unicornio, Decorado and Homeless Home, based on his comics, and also directed the feature films Psiconautas (2017) and Unicorn Wars (2022). His work have won Goya Awards on four occasions (twice for best animation film, and twice for best short animation film).

The panel awarding the ZIFF Grand Award in the Official Section of the International ZIFF Competition is composed of:

  • Colombian producer and director Diana Bustamante. One of her main characteristics is her support of filmmakers whose perspectives and voices explore new angles, such as Ciro Guerra (Los viajes del viento, 2009), César Augusto Acevedo (La tierra y la sombra, 2015) or Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Memoria, 2021). As director, Our Movie is her first documentary feature film, and it won her a Special Mention of the jury at ZINEBI’s ZIFF – ZINEBI First Film in 2022, and was also a contender at other festivals such as DOCNYC (United States), BAFICI (Argentina) and FICUNAM (Mexico).
  • The Head of programming at Arsenal – Berlin Cinema and Videoart Institute, Birgit Kohler. She was also a member of Germany’s Berlinale Forum selection committee from 2002 to 2019, and head of the 2019 Forum’s main programme.
  • Rocío Mesa, a Spanish filmmaker now living in California (United States), combines audiovisual creation with programming and production. Her last feature film as director and scriptwriter, Secaderos (2022), was premiered at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, and was also presented internationally at SXSW in the United States, winning the Visions Audience Award. She previously directed the creation documentary Orensanz (2013) and produced the feature film Mbah Jhiwo / Alma anciana (2021), by Álvaro Gurrea. Before becoming director of LA OLA – Independent Films from Spain, an organisation seeking to showcase contemporary Spanish films in North America, she worked as programmer for the LA Film Festival and the Art House Theater Day.

AWARDS

ZINEBI is awarding more than 50,0000 euros in prizes for the winners of the two international competitions in its Official Section. The feature films in ZIFF – ZINEBI First Film are competing for the ZIFF Grand Award (12,000 €) and the ZIFF Youth Jury Award (UPV/EHU), where this year’s panel will also feature students from Madrid’s ECAM Cinematographic and Audiovisual School (2,000 €).

Turning to the International Short Film Competition, the jury is awarding the ZINEBI Grand Award (7,000 €), the Grand Award of Basque Cinema (6,000 €), the Grand Award of Spanish Cinema (6,000 €), the Mikeldi for Best Fiction Short Film (5,000 €), Mikeldi for Best Animation Short Film (5,000 €) and Mikeldi for Best Documentary Short Film (5,000 €).

The general public attending the screenings can also vote for any short films they see for the EITB Audience Award (3,000 €), and UNICEF gives an award every year (with no cash prize).

Finally, Cineclub FAS is awarding a prize (2,000 €) for best short film in the Bertoko Begiradak. Views from the Basque Country section for more recent Basque productions not included in the Official Section.