ANIMATED “MAGDA” AND FICTION SHORT “LIVE” WIN AT FILMETS
The FILMETS Badalona Film Festival Special Jury Award went to the fiction short directed by Mary Tamkovich, while Adela Kaczmarek's animated film was honoured for its direction.
The Badalona Film Festival, also known as the FILMETS Badalona Film Festival, is a prestigious short film festival held in Badalona, Spain. Each year, it attracts filmmakers from around the world, presenting a wide range of genres, from animated films to documentaries and experimental works. The organisers' main aim is to promote short film production and support new cinematic talents.
The Spanish festival's jury was captivated by the short film Live directed by Mara Tamkovich and awarded it a special prize. A peaceful demonstration in Minsk, commemorating Raman Bandarenka – who was beaten-to-death – is brutally suppressed by the police. The world learns of it thanks to a livestream by journalists from an independent Belarusian TV station, who are the only ones broadcasting the course of events live. For safety reasons, they report from the windows of a nearby apartment. When the security services begin shooting at the protesters and the women are targeted by a police drone, they have little time to decide whether, despite the risk, to continue their mission.
The award for best direction went to the animated short Magda. Adela Kaczmarek's film tells the story of the titular Magda (15), a teenage skier. The girl joins the Polish resistance movement and helps by transporting documents and refugees through the mountains to Slovakia. One day, she learns that a group of 23 pilots urgently needs to cross the border, as the Gestapo is on their trail. Magda devises a risky plan to lure the Nazis in her direction, giving the pilots a chance to pass unnoticed. Unfortunately, the German soldiers are also experienced skiers, able to shoot and reload their weapons while skiing at high speeds. Magda must take the risk and sets off into the forest, racing through the snow.
The list of all awarded films can be found here.