BIAFF closing ceremony took place Bon 25 September, at Batumi State Musical Center. International Jury awarded prizes in three-competition section – International Feature Films, Doc Films and Short Films section. BIAFF international competition section’s Jury consisting of five members Dito Tsintsadze, Georgia (head of Jury), Mahtab Keramati (Iran), Liza Antonova (Russia), Iryna Gordiichuk (Ukraine), Gulnara Abikieva, (Kazakhstan) awarded following prizes:
- Grand Prix – “Zoology” by Ivan I.Tverdovskiy (Russia / France/ Germany, 2016)
- Best Film Director - “Godless”, by Ralitza Petrova (Bulgaria/Denmark/France, 2016)
- Best Actress – Natalia Pavlenkova in film “Zoology”, by Ivan I.Tverdovskiy ( (Russia / France/ Germany, 2016)
- Best Actor – Farhad Aslani in film “Daughter” by Reza Mirkarimi (Iran, 2016)
Special mention to:
- RAUF (by Soner Caner/Baris Kaya, Turkey, 2016) – for bringing strong social message to audience, from the viewpoint of child about peace and love.
- UNITED STATES OF LOVE (Tomasz Wasilewski, Poland/Sweden, 2016) – for brilliant camera work of Oleg Mutu (DoP), which creates special cinematic atmosphere in film
BIAFF 2016 Documentary Films international competition section’s Jury consisting of five members Marina Razbeshkina, Russia (Head of Jury), Nargiz Baghirzade (Azerbaijan), Oles Yanchuk (Ukraine), Elhum Shakerifar (UK), Beso Odisharia (Georgia), awarded following prizes:
- The Best Doc film - The Cinema Travellers, Shirley Abraham/Amit Madheshiya, India, 96 min.
- Special Mention - Rodnye (Close Relations), Vitaly Manksi, Germany, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, 2016; 112 min.
BIAFF 2016 – Short Film international competition section’s Jury consisting of Zaza Khalvashi, Georgia (head of Jury), David Muradian (Armenia), Julia Sinkevych (Ukraine), Diliara Tasbulatova, (Russia), Zura Sturua (Georgia)
- The Best Short film - Lethe, Dea Kulumbegashvili, Georgia, 2016; 15 min.
- Jury Special Mention - When You Hear the Bells, Chabname Zariab, France/Tunisia, 2015 and Land of the Lost, Hawraz Mohammed, Iraq, 2016
BIAFF Life time Achievement awards for contribuitone to World cinema was granted to: · Vadim Abdrashitov (Russia) · Berdia INtskirveli (Georgia · Temur Babluani (Georgia) BIAFF 2016 closing film was “Miles Ahead” by Don Cheadle, USA, 2016.
Festival Sponsors – Ministry of Culture of Georgia, Georgian National Film Center, Divan Suites Batumi, “Askaneli Brothers”
Prize of Batumi Art University was given to - “Lost Village”, by Giorgi Todria, Georgia/Spain, 2016
Prize of International Animation Film Festival TOFUZI was given to – “Guest”, by Nino Shaburishvili, Georgia/France, 2016
Festival Supporters – British Council, Polish Audio-Visual Fund, Cinema APOLLO, Alphabet Tower, “Terassa Askaneli”, Hotel Rcheuli, Hotel Batumi Plaza, Hotel Admiral, Cinema “Rustaveli”, Tourism Department of Ajara AR, festival “Tbilisi Open Air”, HQ propaganda, Tour Company “Wonderland”
Festival Media Partners – Radio Fortuna/Fortuna+, Adjara TV, Newspaper “Georgia Today”, FILMPRINT, Publicity Group, www.newswire.ge, Film New Europe, Newspaper BATUMELEBI
