The fourth edition of the “Euskaraz bizi nahi dut” short film competition organised by Kontseilua with the collaboration of the San Sebastian Festival now has its jury. In this edition, the director, screenwriter and producer Jon Garaño joins Maialen Beloki, member of the San Sebastian Festival management committee, and Paul Bilbao, Secretary General of Kontseilua.

Jon Garaño studied Journalism and Advertising at the University of the Basque Country and Film at Sarobe and in San Diego (USA). In 2001, he created the production company Moriarti with another four friends and has been working with it since then as a director and screenwriter. His short films have garnered more than 100 awards. His documentaries have been broadcast on TV channels in almost twenty countries. Among others, he produced the documentaries “Lucio” and “El método Arrieta” and was the co-screenwriter and co-director of “80 egunean” and “Loreak” with Jose Mari Goenaga.

Maialen Beloki obtained her Degree in Audiovisual Communication at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, 2002-2005. She also holds a PhD in Film Theory, Analysis and Documentation (PhD thesis: Entre Antonio y Antxon Eceiza. Cine y política) from the Public University of the Basque Country, Leioa, 2006-2010. Head of the Documentation and Films Department and of the International Film Students Meeting and Zinemira sections of the San Sebastian Film Festival. In 2012 she became a member of the Selection Committee, and since 2013 she has also been a member of the Management Committee. Professor of Communication at HUHEZI, University of Mondragón. She collaborated with the electronic magazine dedicated to film analysis, Pausa, and co-wrote Antxon Eceiza, cine, existencialismo y dialéctica (Jesús Angulo, Maialen Beloki, José Luis Rebordinos, Antonio Santamarina, Filmoteca Vasca, 2010). She was formerly a member of the selection committee for short films in the Kimuak programme for the international promotion and distribution of Basque short films organised by the Basque Government (2012, 2013).

Paul Bilbao. Degree in Philosophy and Literature-Basque Philology from the University of Deusto. Post-graduate in Language Planning and University Expert in Human Rights at the University of the Basque Country. He started working at the Observatory on Language Rights (Hizkuntz Eskubideen Behatokia) in 2001 and was appointed its director in 2004. He has been the Secretary General of Kontseilua since 2010. He is Vice-Chair of the ELEN-European Language Equality Network and coordinates the network’s relations with the UN. He is also Head of the Translation and Language Rights Committee of the Basque PEN Club.

One of the objectives of the Euskaraz bizi nahi dut (I want to live in Basque) dynamic and therefore of its projects, is to foster collaboration. This year the initiative will therefore enjoy the sponsorship of the Basque Government, Alava Provincial Council, Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council, Bilbao City Council, the Berria newspaper, the Argia magazine, and the Hamaika Telebista television channel.

This year too the competition is divided into two categories: professional and amateur. The short films must revolve around the idea of wanting to live in the Basque language, using any film genre. The deadline for submitting films is August 24. Full information can be found on the website: http://www.euskarazbizinahidut.eus.

The best works will be screened at the gala organised as part of the San Sebastian Festival in September. As in previous editions, this year will similarly include screenings other than those of the Festival. The short films will also be available for viewing online.