BIAFF Film festival closing ceremony took place on 22 September, at Batumi State Musical Center.  International Jury awarded prizes in three-competition section – International Feature Films, Doc Films and Short Films section.  

BIAFF industry platform “Alternative Wave” awarded prizes for three projects:

• Wroclaw Audio-Visual Center (CeTA) – 10,000 EUR equivalent production services was awarded to film project “Orange Sky” (Georgia), Director, producer: Shalva Shengeli; Writers: Shalva Shengeli, Alexander Kurkhuli
• Istanbul Film Festival’s industry platform “Meeting on the Bridge” – participation in “Meeting on the Bridge” 2020 for film project – “You Look Like Your Father” (Georgia), Director: Levan Lomjaria, Producer: Vako Kirkitadze 
• BIAFF prize – participation at BERLINALE film festival industry platform for film project – “The Load” (Georgia), Director, producer: Ana Iosava; Writers: Ana Iosava, Otar Katamadze

BIAFF 2019 international competition section’s Jury consisting of five members – Alexander Mindadze (Russia – Head of Jury), Tatiana Detlofson (USA), Martin Blaney (UK), Carmen Grey (UK), Rusudan Glurjidze (Georgia) awarded following prizes:

• Grand Prix – “Let There Be Light”, Marko Skop, Slovak Republic/Czech Republic, 2019
• Best Film Director – Reza Mirkarimi, “Castle of Dreams”, Iran, 2019
• Best Actress – Ece Yuksel,  in film “Tale of Three Sisters”, Emin Alper, Turkey/Germany, 2019
• Best Actor – Kayhan Açikgöz in film “Tale of Three Sisters”, Emin Alper, Turkey/Germany, 2019
• Jury Special Prize – “End of Seasons”, Elmar Imanov, Germany/Azerbaijan/Georgia, 2019

BIAFF 2019 Documentary Films international competition section’s Jury consisting of five members -  Krzystof Gierat (Poland – Head of Jury), Ghasideh Golmakani (Iran), Karen Avetysian (Armenia), Oles Yanchuk (Ukraine), Vakhtang Kuntsev-Gabashvili (Georgia) , awarded the following films:

• The Best Doc film - “Shooting the Mafia”, Kim Longinoto, Ireland, 2019
• Special Mentions - “Forman VS Forman”, Helena Trestikova/Jacub Hejna, Czech Republic/France, 2019  and Lovemobile, Elke Margarete Lehrenkrauss, Germany, 2019

BIAFF 2019 Short Film international competition section’s Jury consisting of - Otar Shamatava (Georgia - Head of Jury), Paul Thiltges (Luxemburg) and David Lorenz (Germany) awarded the following prizes:

• The Best Short film – “Animal”, Amiran Dolidze, Georgia, 2019
• Jury Special Mentions - “Watermelon Juice”, Irene Moray, Spain, 2019   and “Hope”, Aleksandra Markova, Belarus, 2019

BIAFF 2019 Georgia Film Critics Jury consisting of - Lela Ochiauri (Chairwoman), Salome Kikaleishvili, Nino Mkheidze - revealed the choice for best film by film critics:

• Best film -  “Castle of Dreams”, Reza Mirkarimi, Iran, 2019

BIAFF 2019 Life time Achievement awards for contribution to cinema was granted to:

• Paul Schrader (USA)
• Denis Lavant (France)
• Alexander Mindadze (Russia)
• Manuchar Shervashidze  (Georgia)

Festival Supporters– Ministry of Culture of Georgia,  Georgian National Film Center, Ministry of Cultura of Ajara AR, Tourism Department of Ajara AR, National Tourism Agency of Georgia, Batumi Drama Theatre, British Council, Goethe Institute Georgia, Embassy of Italy 

Festival Sponsors – Hotel Wyndham Batumi, Cinema APOLLO, Hotel “Downtown Hotel”, Hotel “Mardi Plaza”, Hotel “Boulevard”, HQ propaganda, Tour Company “Wonderland”, Cafe “Gardens”, Batumi Auto transport, “Legal Consulting Center” LLC, CETA studio (Poland) 

Festival Media Partners – Georgian Public Broadcaster, Radio Fortuna/Fortuna+, Adjara TV, Batumi TV, Publicity Group (www.publicity.ge), Film New Europe (www.filmneweurope.com), INDIGO Magazine, Cinemania, Cineuropa.org, AT.GE, Newspaper BATUMELEBI, netgazeti.ge

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The Slovenian Film Centre announced the following grants on 17 September 2019.

The Czech Film Fund announced the following grants on 23 September 2019.

STRONGER TOGETHER: that was the key message which emerged from the discussion of FERA’s General Assembly meeting in Bucharest, Romania on September 20 to 22.