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Everything is ready in Barcelona to start the Basque film festival, Zinemaldia.cat, organized by the Euskal Etxea.  It will begin on February 6 with an inaugural gala in the Girona theaters.  This year there will be some novelties with prizes awarded “Txapela D’Or” with a cash prize, in three categories: best fiction, best documentary and best movie in Basque.  There will also be a parallel activity dedicated to children – Txo! – a marathon of films by Julio Medem, a meeting point for professionals in A/V of the Basque Country and Catalonia and much more. 

Barcelona, Catalonia.   The Barcelona Euskal Etxea’s Zinemaldia is running this year as a film festival with new and important steps being taken to bring Basque film production to the Catalan audience, beyond the scope of the Basque club.

If the film festival took a big step last year by moving to local theaters, this year it is adding another venue, the Malda theaters where there will be a marathon of films by director Julio Medem.  

Cash prizes

Another novelty, according to Roger Sallas, coordinator of the Euskal Etxea, is the awarding of cash prizes called Txapela D’Or.  There will be three prizes in all: Txapela d’Or – Euskadi Basque Country for the best fiction film; Txapela d’Or – Euskadi Basque Country to the best documentary and Txaplea d’Or – Azkue Foundation for the best film in Basque.

The jury is comprised by Judith Colell, Nuria Vidal, Marc Martinez, Aritz Lekuona and Hammudi Al- Rahmounillor who will choose the winners among the huge selection of films.  In the fiction category, Negociador by Borja Cobeaga (writer of Eight Basque Last Names), Hidden, Dixie, Fools and Stupid People, Loreak and Lasa and Zabala will compete.  Documentaries include: I am Haiti, 5 Days to Dance, From Echeverria to Etxebarria, Lantada, Signs of Life, and  Opening the Doors.

“Txo!” a success

Another novelty is the creation of a parallel section “Txo!” dedicated to children.  “It was an idea that came out during our music festival EH Sona! which was a total success.  It is a good way to reach a new audience, a children’s audience,” Sallas explained.

The festival will also debut a new initiative, a meeting point for the both the Basque and Catalan audiovisual industry, where they can present projects and make contacts. Etc.  

More information on the website: www.zinemaldia.cat.