Mr. Paul Ortega “The Invisible Film Festival is an open and current window to what is happening in the world, in each place and in each community”

• The Director of eLankidetza-Basque Cooperation Agency, considers social documentary film “as one of the best tools to raise awareness about the need for equality and human solidarity”
• Opening of the 2023 edition at the Azkuna Center in Bilbao
• Juan Carlos Vázquez, director of the contest: “We must take action and act together for the common good”

Bilbao-Basque Country, 2023 10 19

Mr. Paul Ortega Director of eLankidetza-Basque Cooperation Agency of the Basque Government, attended this afternoon, at Azkuna Centre in Bilbao, the opening of the international social film festival “Invisible Film 2023” with the presence of the singer and composer June Moon and the screening of the short films “Constructores de Sueños-Coumba” from Senegal; “Broken Wings”, from Indonesia; “Arnasa” from Basque Country; “If you wanted me, leave” Spain; and “Imelda is not alone” from El Salvador. Mrs Miren Elgarresta director of Emakunde, and Mr. Xabier Legarreta, director of Migration of the Basque Government, also participated in the event.

“This open and current window that the Social Film Festival means to what happens in the world, in each place and in each community, is fundamental,” observed Mr Paul Ortega, who considers documentary film “as one of the best tools to raise awareness about the need for equality and human solidarity.”

 “15 years ago, we launched the International Invisible Film Festival to promote necessary reflection and raise awareness about the challenging challenges facing humanity. "Both to transform the present and to shape the future, we must repair the injustices of the past, but we must also take action and act together for the common good," said Juan Carlos Vázquez, director of the week that will close the October 26th.

 The 64 films will be screened, in addition to Bilbao, in different Basque towns grouped in various sections dedicated to human rights, sustainability, gender equality, interculturality and young clapperboard.

 The awards and sponsorships have been possible thanks to eLankidetza-Basque Development Cooperation Agency of the Basque Government; the General Directorate of Social Cohesion of the Provincial Council of Biscay/Bizkaia; Emakunde-Basque Women's Institute; Area of Equality, Coexistence, Cooperation and Immigration of the Bilbao City Council; the Immigration and Asylum Directorate of the Basque Government; the Culture, Education, Basque and Youth Area of the Barakaldo City Council;  the Biscay/Bizkaia Bar Association; the Cooperation Area of the Getxo City Council; the Office of Development Cooperation of the Basque University UPV/ EHU; and Euskal Irrati Telebista EITB (Basque TV and radio).

 The festival will dedicate its special mentions to the institutes Aixerrota of Getxo and Artaza-Romo (Leioa and Getxo) for their ten years of commitment to the festival, to Rosa Aguilera, Ángel Almaraz, Edurne Elizegi and Marian Mugerza "for their trust and support for KCD ONGD and the International Invisible Film Festival “Film Sozialak” in Bilbao”

 The jury is made up of Carolina De León, Silvia Gutierrez Vallejo, Ricardo Usategi, Santa González, Elisabeth Kassa Zewude, Iker de la Peña Aguirre, Izaskun Astondoa, Begoña Guzmán, Gabriel López, Somaya Amiri, Trinidad Vicente; Iván Francisco Alberto, Iratxe Amiano Bonatxea, Saioa de Miguel, Julio Cuadra, Irantzu García Oliver, Felipe García Esteban, Teresa Campos López, Anais Córdova Páez, Belén Ruiz Soroa and Iñaki Arkotxa.

 The films in competition:

1. ARNASA Basque Country.
2. BERAK BALEKI Basque Country
3. BUSCADORAS: TERESA QUIÑONES Colombia
4. CAMINOS DE ESPERANZA: GABRIELA Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Basque Country
5. EL PRIMER BESO Spain
6. JIBARO Cuba
7. LAASTE WOORD South Africa
8. NATAXIK Guatemala, Basque Country
9. NO CALLAREM, UN FILM PER LA LIBERTAT Spain, Belgie
10. PUNTO DE ENCUENTRO Chile
11. SEREMOS MILLONES. Bolivia
12. EVO Y LA FUERZA DE UN PUEBLO Argentina, Bolivia
13. THE RIGHT WORDS France
14. VALS DE SANTO DOMINGO República Dominicana
15. 24SIETE Spain
16. ACTOS POR PARTES Spain
17. AGUR ARTZAI Basque Country
18. ALEGORÍA Spain
19. AMALUR Nepal, Etiopía, India, Bangladesh, Senegal, Italy, Indonesia, Turkey, Venezuela, Spain, Cuba, Sri Lanka, Maldivas, Japón, Tailandia
20. AMUKA-EL DESPESTAR DEL PUEBLO CONGOLÉS Rep. Dem. Congo
21. BIGGER THAN US France
22. BROKEN WINGS Indonesia, Singapur, Emiratos Árabes
23. ERRO BI Basque Country
24. ESCUTE: ATERRA FOI RASGADAS Brasil
25. ESTRELLAS DEL DESIERTO Chile
26. HAU ETXEA BADA Basque Country
27. HORA PETROLERA México
28. JAIRAG+MA IGA+ (LAZOS ANCESTRALES) Amazonas, Colombia
29. L’ARGENT, LA LIBERTÉ, UNE HISTOIRE DU FRANC CFA Senegal, France, Belgie, Germany
30. LA ILUSIÓN DE LA ABUNDANCIA Belgie, Colombia, Brasil, Germany, Perú, Honduras
31. LA VIDA ENTRE DOS NOCHES Spain
32. MARCHER SUR L’EAU Francia, Belgie, Niger
33. OTORVANNIE Russia
34. RISE UP Chile, South Africa, USA, Germany, Kurdistán
35. SOLPOR Spain.
36. SOMLENG REATREY Camboya. Spain
37. 1/4 ANTE MERIDIEM México, Germany
38. ALEGRE Y OLÉ Spain
39. BRÖDRASKAPET Sweden.
40. CARMEN, SIN MIEDO A LA LIBERTAD Spain
41. CHAO DE FÁBRICA / UNA HISTORIA DE OBRERAS Brasil
42. DERECHOS HUMANOS DE LAS HUMANAS Guatemala, Basque Country.
43. EL PAÍS DE LAS MUJERES DEL INFRAMUNDO Kurdistán, Irak
44. IMELDA NO ESTÁ SOLA El Salvador.
45. INSUMISAS Spain, Sáhara, Swiss.
46. LA CAJERA Spain
47. MOTHERTRUCKERS  United Kingdom, Spain
48. SI ME QUEREI, IRSE Spain.
49. SIN MIEDO Austria, Spain
50. CONGUITO Spain
51. CONSTRUCTORAS DE SUEÑOS - COUMBA Senegal
52. DOXANDEÉM, LES CHASSEURS DE RÊVES Senegal
53. IN THE SHADOW OF PIGEON WINGS Turkey, Lebanon
54. M Spain
55. MENSAJE ANCESTRAL Colombia
56. SE VAN SUS NAVES Spain
57. SOMBRAS DE BEIRUT Spain, Lebanon
58. TETUÁN Sáhara, Marruecos, Rumanía, France, Basque Country
59. TRIA Italy
60. HUTSIK Basque Country
61. ITSASOAREN KUTSADURA Basque Country
62. POZOI ZAPOREAZ Basque Country
63. SOLEDAD Basque Country.
64. VIAJE HACIA LOS PREJUICIOS Basque Country