The BBK Mendi Film Bilbao-Bizkaia mountain film festival started with a massive support of spectators. During the first three days of the festival, the sessions of the Euskalduna Palace and the Sala BBK were sold out, and the Golem Cinemas had a constant and numerous assistance too. 2000 spectators attended the face-to-face sessions, overcoming all the measures of the pandemic.
And that support has been endorsed by the institutional presence in the events of the weekend: the Basque Government has been represented by the Minister of Culture and Language Policy and Spokesperson Bingen Zupiria, the Deputy Minister of Culture Andoni Iturbe, and the First Vice President and Security Advisor Josu Erkoreka; the Provincial Deputy of Basque language, Culture and Sports Lorea Bilbao representing the Provincial Council of Bizkaia; and the Acting Mayor of the Bilbao City Council Amaia Arregi.
Along with the screenings of the films that participate in the Official Section of the 13th edition and in the Zabalandi section (non-competitive), the WOP-The Walk On Project Award honored the Baltistan Fundazioa Foundation. There were also two presentatons of new books: the comic by the SUA Editions and Mendi Film about the Iñurrategi mountaineer Brothers, and a new book by Juanjo San Sebastián: "Cuanto es mucho tiempo, retazos del camino".
The Jury composed of the filmmaker Asier Altuna, the composer Paula Olaz, the film producer Itziar Garcia, the coordinator of the Polish Institute of Culture in Madrid Iwona Zielinska-Sasiada, and the film student Jon San Sebastián, is working on the viewing and evaluation of the 54 films in the Official Selection. The decission will be released on Saturday, December 12.
And the Mendi Film Online offer is having a great impact on its first days. All those who cannot move to Bilbao, and also the spectators who, in addition to attending the face-to-face sessions, choose to organize their own Mendi Film 'at home', are taking advantage of this great opportunity to be able to rent the films and contents of BBK Mendi Film Bilbao-Bizkaia.
Until December 13, the Mendi Film will continue to be the meeting point for cinema and the mountain culture in Bilbao, and virtually all over the world.
