In recognition of a rich and diverse career in front of the camera, French actress Juliette Binoche will receive the honorary award EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT IN WORLD CINEMA.

Born in Paris, Juliette Binoche started performing in theatre already as a child. RENDEZ-VOUS by André Téchiné was the first real entrance to what would become an impressive career in film (after Jean-Luc Godard’s HAIL MARY), playing a young actress coming to Paris to realise her dream. After playing in THE NIGHT IS YOUNG by Léos Carax, she started her international film career with THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING (1988) by Philip Kaufman. Working with Léos Carax again, THE LOVERS ON THE BRIDE won her a first EFA in 1992. THREE COLOURS: BLUE (1993) by Krzysztof Kieslowski won her a Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival and a French César.

She received her second EFA, a Silver Bear in Berlin, a Bafta and an Oscar for her performance in THE ENGLISH PATIENT (1996) by Anthony Minghella. In the year 2000, she appeared in Lasse Hallström‘s CHOCOLAT for which she won an EFA People’s Choice Award and nominations for both a BAFTA and an Oscar. In 2010, she won the Best Actress Award in Cannes for her role in CERTIFIED COPY by Abbas Kiarostami.

Throughout her impressive career, the five-time EFA Nominee and 3-time EFA Winner has appeared in more than 60 feature films, both in English and French, mainstream and arthouse and she has worked with directors like Chantal Akerman, Olivier Assayas, John Boorman, Rupert Sanders, Isabel Coixet, David Cronenberg, Claire Denis, Bruno Dumont, Abel Ferrara, Amos Gitaï, Michael Haneke, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Naomi Kawase, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Louis Malle, Jean-Paul Rappenau,  and Małgorzata Szumowska.

It is a great pleasure for the European Film Academy to present the award European Achievement in World Cinema to Juliette Binoche for her impressive dedication to cinema.

Juliette Binoche will be an honorary guest at the 32nd European Film Awards Ceremony on 7 December in Berlin.

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.