FESTIVALS: What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? Wins 2021 BIAFF

27-09-2021

FESTIVALS: What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? Wins 2021 BIAFF

By Alexander Gabelia

What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? by Alexander Koberidze

BATUMI: What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? by Georgian director Alexander Koberidze was awarded Grand Prix at the 19th edition of the Batumi International Art house Film Festival, running 18-24 September 2021. The winner of the Documentary Competition was the Polish film 1970 directed by Tomasz Wolski.

The closing ceremony was held in the Apollo cinema in Batumi in front of a limited audience.

"This year, the organisation of the festival was quite a challenge due to several factors: uncertainty, pandemic regulations, restricted number of people attending film screenings (only 50% of seats in the cinema), limited budget (almost half, compared to the pre-pandemic period) etc. Still, the BIAFF management succeeded in having an edition with a very good film programme, showcasing the most interesting art house films on the big screen and not on a computer screen", festival manager Zviad Eliziani told FNE.

"Although there were few international guests, the festival hosted quite an outstanding number of Georgian filmmakers and the festive mood was brought back to the city. The industry platform Alternative Wave was also held successfully, with 10 new Georgian film projects presented. During five days participants (filmmakers, producers, scriptwriters) attended intensive workshops. Therefore, it can be stated that for us the 2021 edition was one big step forward compared to last year’ online edition", Eliziani also said.

The Batumi International Art house Film Festival is organised by the Batumi Art-house ARGANI with the support of the Batumi City Hall, the Georgian Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection, the Georgian National Film Center, the Ministry of Culture of Ajara, the Batumi Puppet Theatre, the Goethe Institute Georgia, the Embassy of Italy, and the French Institute.

FEATURE FILMS COMPETITION:

Grand Prix:
What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? (Georgia, Germany)
Directed by Alexander Koberidze
Produced by DFFB
Coproduced by Sakdoc Film
Supported by MBB, RBB, the Georgian National Film Center

Best Director:
Kornel Mundruczo for Evolution (Germany, Hungary)
Produced by Match Factory Productions
Coproduced by Proton Cinema, with the collaboration of ZDF-ARTE and the Proton Theater
Supported by the Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, the German Federal Filmfund and the National Film Institute – Hungary, the Hungarian tax credit

Best Actress:
Nutsa Kukhianidze for Otar’s Death (Georgia, Germany, Lithuania)
Directed by Soso Bliadze
Produced by MAISIS PERI
Coproduced by Studio Artizm, M-Films
Supported by the Georgian National Film Center

Best Actor:
Serhii Filimonov for Rhino / Nosorih (Ukraine, Poland, Germany)
Directed by Oleg Sentsov
Produced by Arthouse Traffic
Coproduced by Krai Kinema, Apple Film Production, Ma.Ja.De
Supported by the State Film Agency of Ukraine, the Polish Film Institute, Eurimages, the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg Fund

Jury Special Mention:
Otar’s Death (Georgia, Germany, Lithuania)
Directed by Soso Bliadze
Produced by MAISIS PERI
Coproduced by Studio Artizm, M-Films
Supported by the Georgian National Film Center

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION:

Best Doc:
1970 (Poland)
Directed by Tomasz Wolski
Produced by Kijora Film

Special Mentions:

Foundation Pit (Russia)
Directed by Andrey Gryazev

Atlantide (Italy, France, USA, Qatar)
Directed by Yuri Ancarani

BIAFF 2021 Georgia Film Critics Jury:

Best Film:
What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? (Georgia, Germany)
Directed by Alexander Koberidze

BIAFF 2021 Short Film competition section’s Jury:

Best Short Film:
Leopolis Night (Ukraine)
Directed by Nikon Romanchenko

Special Mentions:

Preparation (Georgia)
Directed by Ilia Asitashvili

Like in Mykono (Italy)
Directed by Alessandro Porzio