NOTICIAS

Details: Category: Noticias 2026; 15 September 2026; Last Updated: 15 September 2026

The grant supported by Mendi Film, Ternua, and the Department of Basque Language, Culture and Sports of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia—aimed at creating documentary film projects that promote Mountain Culture through audiovisual media—opens an international pathway.

Details: Category: Noticias 2026; 09 September 2026; Last Updated: 11 September 2026

“Hello, Bilbao‑Bizkaia!” is the title of the section dedicated to Basque mountain cinema at the Ulsan‑Ulju Mountain Film Festival in South Korea. Between 18 and 22 September, eight Basque films will be screened as part of this programme. The selection for this special section has been curated by the BBK Mendi Film Bilbao‑Bizkaia festival. Ulju and Mendi Film are both members of the International Alliance for Mountain Film.

Details: Category: Noticias 2026; 02 September 2026; Last Updated: 02 September 2026

MENDI TOUR, the travelling circuit showcasing the best films from the international Mendi Film festival, will kick off on 22 September in Urnieta and close the Autumn season on 20–21 November in Potes, Liébana. Fourteen venues have been confirmed, with a total of 18 film screenings scheduled.

Details: Category: Noticias 2026; 02 July 2026; Last Updated: 30 July 2026

The Mendi Tour Autumn 2026 season is just around the corner. Between September and November, we'll be back in action, adding more venues. We'll visit cities and towns to screen the best of Mendi Film, the latest mountain movies.

Details: Category: Noticias 2026; 21 April 2026; Last Updated: 04 June 2026

Mendi Film, Ternua and the Basque Language, Culture and Sports Ministry of the Bizkaia Regional Government are announcing the 7th edition of the Mendi Film Bizkaia Ternua Beka, the grant aimed at the creation of documentary film projects that seek to promote mountain culture through audiovisual means.

Details: Category: Noticias 2026; 01 June 2026; Last Updated: 01 June 2026

Andoni Ormazabal (Xabier Ormazabal Festa), Javi Antúnez (EMF-FVM), Ibon Mendia (grant awarded), Jabi Baraiazarra (Mendi Film)

The event in memory of Xabier Ormazabal served as the setting for the announcement of the fifth edition of the grant named after him. The Navarran mountaineer and climber Ibon Mendia will receive support for his project to complete the full traverse of Cerro Torre, linking Cerro Standhardt, Punta Herrón, Torre Egger and Cerro Torre.

Details: Category: Noticias 2026; 18 May 2026; Last Updated: 18 May 2026

The International Alliance for Mountain Film decided to award the Grand Prize to Jennifer Peedom, an Australian writer, director and producer creating movies combining documentary realism with cinematic grandeur. An extremely personal style that, over the years, has made her one of the most authoritative voices in contemporary documentary cinema, particularly in the fields of nature and mountaineering.

Jennifer Peedom's journey began long ago and at high altitude: the first films that made her stand out were in 2008, "Miracle on Everest" and above all "Solo", winner of many prestigious awards.

The turning point came in 2015 with "Sherpa", which was the third highest-grossing Australian documentary of all time and was internationally acclaimed and nominated for a BAFTA, as well as winning at International Alliance for Mountain Film festivals like the Festival Gorniškega Filma in Slovenia and the Festival International du Film Alpin des Diablerets, in Switzerland.

Two years later, in 2017, she made "Mountain" in collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. The film surpassed "Sherpa" and became the most viewed documentary of all time in Australia, and was released in cinemas in 26 countries worldwide. The film was awarded with the Special Jury Mention at the Mendi Film Festival and closed the Savage Cinema section of the San Sebastian Film Festival.

With "River" in 2021 and "Deeper" in 2025, she shifted her focus from the peaks to the water and the depths of submerged caves. The elements changed, but not the quality and style.

She is currently in post-production for the film "Tenzing", a feature-length fiction film about Tenzing Norgay and the first ascent of Everest.

After the IAMF Grand Prize awarded in 2022 to Michel Dillon, this new recognition testifies to the vitality and importance of Australian filmmakers on the scene of mountain cinema.

“Sherpa” at the 2026 Mendi Film Festival

BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia will include the film “Sherpa” in the program of its 19th edition – from December 4th to 13th, 2026. In this way, the festival will celebrate and share this great work by the IAMF-awarded filmmaker with the Mendi Zale audience, and it will be the first time it can be enjoyed on the big screen in cinema quality in Bilbao.

Grand Prize by the International Alliance for Mountain Film

This was announced during the awards ceremony of the recently concluded Trento Film Festival, in Italy. Instituted in 2000, throughout its trajectory the International Alliance for Mountain Film, which includes the most prestigious organisations in the sector among its members, has become the main reference point for those who produce, promote and conserve mountain films. Today we are 27 members: 26 festivals of mountain film and one mountain museum, which represent 20 countries from Europe, Asia, North and South America and Oceania.

Ever since the founding, the members have been interested in honouring those who, through their talent, have changed the world of mountain film. IAMF members wish to express their gratitude to the filmmakers, directors and producers who have contributed throughout their careers to the evolution of mountain film into the prominent genre that it is today.

With this in mind, IAMF created in 2002 the IAMF Grand Prize, recognizing career leaders in mountain film. The winners include directors such as Gerhard Baur, Lothar Brandler, Pavol Barabas, Kurt Diemberger, Ermanno Olmi, Werner Herzog, Dariusz Zaluski, Michael Dillon, Eliza Kubarska, Renan Ozturk and, in 2025, Sébastien Montaz-Rosset, as well as producers such as Swiss Television or Sender Films.

International Alliance For Mountain Film Grand Prize (2002-2026)

2026 JENNIFER PEEDOM
2025 SÉBASTIEN MONTAZ-ROSSET
2024 RENAN OZTURK
2023 ELIZA KUBARSKA *Mendi TV
2022 MICHAEL DILLON *MendiTV
2021 DARIUSZ ZALUSKI
2020 WERNER HERZOG
2019 KEITH PARTRIDGE
2018 KURT DIEMBERGER *MendiTV
2017 GILLEZ CHAPPAZ
2016 SENDER FILMS
2015 ANNE, ERIK and VÉRONIQUE LAPIED
2014 ERIC CROSLAND and DAVE MOSSOP, SHERPAS CINEMA
2013 ALASTAIR LEE
2012 ERMANNO OLMI
2011 PAVOL BARABÁS
2010 HANS-JÜRGEN PANITZ
2009 LOTHAR BRANDLER
2008 SEBASTIÁN ÁLVARO
2007 MICHAEL BROWN
2006 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR TELEVISION SWITZERLAND
2005 JEAN-PIERRE BAILLY
2004 FULVIO MARIANI
2003 LEO DICKINSON
2002 GERHARD BAUR

Details: Category: Noticias 2026; 04 May 2026; Last Updated: 05 May 2026

The 19th edition of BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia, to be held from December 4 to 13, 2026, presents its official poster: Quantum Cave Chronicles 1, a photograph taken by Lei Bao inside a tiankeng in the Guangxi autonomous region of China.

Details: Category: Noticias 2025; 09 April 2026; Last Updated: 09 April 2026

The registration period for submitting films for the Official Selection of the BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia is opened. Those interested will have until the 5th of September.

Details: Category: Noticias 2025; 30 March 2026; Last Updated: 09 April 2026

MENDI TOUR, the circuit of the best films from the Mendi Film Festival, has brought together 9,300 spectators across 50 screenings in 21 cities and towns during the winter season, from January to March. This impressive figure demonstrates the strength of mountain cinema and the quality of Mendi Film's offerings.

Details: Category: Noticias 2025; 17 December 2025; Last Updated: 17 December 2025

Bilbo, December 17th 2025. An excellent 18th edition of the BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia has brought an outstanding year to a close for the Mendi Film Association with a total of 22,300 viewers in 2025. This represents the second-best figure in the last six years, very close to last year's total of 700 more viewers.

Details: Category: Noticias 2025; 15 December 2025; Last Updated: 15 December 2025

Jabier Baraiazarra, Nagore Eceiza, Luis Arrieta, Boris Peters, Ben Sturgulewski, Katie Stjernholm, Julen Elorza, Javier Álvaro, Mikel Urdangarin and Koldo Uriarte

Bilbao, December 14, 2025. The award ceremony of the 18th edition of the bbk Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia festival brought together numerous filmmakers on stage.

Details: Category: Noticias 2025; 13 December 2025; Last Updated: 13 December 2025

Bilbao, December 13, 2025. The 18th edition of the BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia festival presents a list of 12 awards decided by a jury composed of Crystal Merril (USA), director of Mountainfilm Telluride; filmmakers Michael Brown (USA) and Elena Goatelli (Italy); Aleksandar Zarapchiev (Macedonia), director of the Echo Film Festival; and Carmen Martínez (Basque Country), manager of the Bilbao Choral Society.

Details: Category: Noticias 2025; 26 November 2025; Last Updated: 12 December 2025

Bilbao, 25 November 2025. The BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia festival has presented its 18th edition at the Euskalduna Bilbao. It will be held there for 10 days, from December15th to the 14th, Euskalduna Congress centre becoming a Mountain Culture Base Camp.

Details: Category: Noticias 2025; 08 December 2025; Last Updated: 12 December 2025

Bilbao, December 8, 2025. The BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia festival kicked off with a packed house and an unbeatable atmosphere. The three days, from Friday to Sunday, were lively and full of inspiration.

Details: Category: Noticias 2025; 26 September 2025; Last Updated: 31 October 2025

BBK MENDI FILM BILBAO BIZKAIA 2025

45 films will compete this year in the Official Section of the BBK Mendi Film Bilbao Bizkaia festival, from December 5th to the 14th. These are films about mountains, adventure, extreme sports and nature, all recent productions, no more than two years old.

A total of 226 films have been submitted directly to participate in Bilbao. This is the same number as last year; equalling Mendi Film's all-time high.

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