The film ‘Sensei’ by Igor Bellido from San Sebastian, the big winner of the tenth edition of the Laboral Kutxa Bilbao Surf Film Festival

‘We the Surfers’ by the French Arthur Bourbon won last night the award for best feature film, presented by LABORAL Kutxa, while ‘They Call Me Wazza’, by the New Zealander Jonathan Smit, won the award for best short film from the hand of Itsasmuseum. The Jury’s Award, presented by the Getxo City Council, went to the Argentine Julián Azulay for the film ‘Territorio Africano II’. The film ‘Piko&Pala’ by Dani Millán from the Canary Islands won the award for best film in the Action Sports category, awarded by the collaborators Aloka and Fangaloka.

At a gala, broadcast live by EITB and held at Itsasmuseum Bilbao, the prizes for the Photography Contest sponsored by the museum itself were also awarded to two photographers from Bizkaia, Mikel Gorostiza and Asier García Miranda.

The basque filmmakers Jon Aspuru, who won over the local surfing community at the festival’s Opening Gala with the short film ‘Glory and Consequence’, was recognized by Bizkaiko Surf Federazioa / Bizkaia Surf Federation with the Best Waves of Bizkaia award.

For the first time in the decade-long history of the festival and on this occasion, an Honorable Mention was awarded to the Californian skateboarder Eddie ¨El Gato¨ Elguera, a living legend of skateboarding and pioneer of the 70s, who also presented at the Azkuna Zentroa the premiere of his film ‘Golden Era of Skateboarding’, which gave way to a lively discussion.

Renowned figures of sport and culture visited the five stages of this edition. Thus, we were able to enjoy the presence and presentation of the world champion of adapted surfing Sara Almagro in the educational matinees that took place in Muxikebarri Getxo, share industrial experiences in the networking of BiscayTIK, among others, with the scriptwriter and director Jabi Elortegi bermeotarra, enjoy the presence of international surfing figures such as the Hawaiian professional big wave surfer, Shannon Marie Quirk, who presented her vindictive film ‘Calm Down’, a call for women in surfing or the Turkish filmmaker, Serra Soyupak, who showed through her short film ‘Amazigh’ the situation of Arab women in surfing.

A total of 62 films from 25 countries continued to be screened at Itsasmuseum Bilbao after a successful Opening Gala in Getxo, which was sold out due to the expectation of the tenth edition.

The adverse weather was not an impediment to enjoy the great offer that took place on the esplanade of the Itsasmuseum. Almost thirty activities, for all audiences and free admission, half a dozen concerts and exhibitions, as well as contests and participatory championships, along with a Surf Market with a dozen stands, local and international.

It is worth mentioning the participation of the public in the photography and film contests, exceeding 7,000 people. A more than positive balance for a tenth edition, more ambitious than ever, of the LABORAL Kutxa Bilbao Surf Film Festival.