Mariví Bilbao exuded spontaneity and self-confidence during her visit to Huesca. The actress, who was born in Bilbao, declared herself delighted with her reception by the town and the Huesca Film Festival. Her first words were those of gratitude, as "you don't expect these things, all I have done is work". Mariví is attending this year's Festival to receive the Ciudad de Huesca Short film Prize.

The actress, who has starred in feature films like "La Comunidad" (Common Wealth) and "El Séptimo Día" (The Seventh Day), showed how happy she was, and gave all those present in the hall a glimpse of her true personality, which is very often made to take a back seat, as she herself acknowledges, because of the charismatic characters she plays.

The press conference opened with some scenes from one of her latest films "Alumbramiento" (Illumination), a short film and winner of several prizes, which is also recognised at this year's Festival. For Mariví, the film is outstanding for the way it deals with such a difficult subject as passing from life to death, also for the great work produced by the director and cast. She says that the film manages to cause very strange reactions in that, at the end of the film, the audience remains silent for a few moments before bursting into applause. She adds that death is not a subject usually talked about and which everyone avoids, and for this reason the audience reacts as described above when they are confronted with it on screen.

Now a successful television actress, Mariví commented on how hard it has been, and still is, for a woman to find a place in the film industry; her beginnings were not always a bed of roses, and she always had to put up with contempt and insults for merely being an actress, criticism that she shrugged of with her natural self-confidence.

Mariví Bilbao is a woman with her feet on the ground and hastened to make clear that the public at large does not forget you in a matter of days, they forget you in five minutes, which is why she thinks that no one should remain stuck in the past.

As for future projects, Mariví Bilbao explained that you cannot do two things at once. Both television drama and feature films need complete dedication, and this makes it very difficult to work on the two at the same time.

Of her long career in the theatre, film and television, she made special mention of her late arrival to the seventh art. She remembers all her roles with fondness, but especially "La primera vez" (The First Time) by Borja Cobeaga and "Salto al Vacío" (Leap into the Void) by Daniel Calparsoro.

Time ran out and the star of the day took her leave with many thanks, and the packed hall responded with warm applause. Mariví Bilbao, winner of the Ciudad de Huesca Short Film Prize has already become, on her own merits, part of the history of this 36th Huesca Film Festival.

"Chainsaw," double prize-winner, "Malaak et le vaste monde" and "Braedrabylta" took the main awards at the International and Documentary Competition at the 36th Huesca film Festival. These joined "Café Paraiso," winner of the Latin American Competition and the short story "Fin de rodaje" (The End of Filming), this year's champions.

The Huesca Film Festival rounded off the awards at a press conference where the names of the winners of the International Short Film Competition and the European Documentary Competition were announced, plus the Critics Jury, Youth Jury and the Audience prizes.

"Chainsaw" by the producer Dennis Tupicoff took the Danzante prize in the International Short Film Competition. The jury highlighted its originality and fantasy. In the same competition, the Francisco García de Paso prize went to the Norwegian short film, "Revolver" by Thor Bekkavik, and the Special Jury Prize to the Irish producer, Simon Fitzmaurice, for "The Sound of People."

The European Documentary Prize went to the French "Malaak et le vaste monde" in which the director, Ahlem Aussant-Leroy, managed to convey a whole mix of sensations to create complicity and intimacy with the spectator.

"Familia 068" by the Spanish film-makers Rubén Margalló and Toni Edo and "Muzyczna partyzantka" by the Pole, Miroslaw Dembinski were the documentaries that will be shown on Spanish public TV, and have therefore been acquired by the television company.

In the same competition, "Lost property Hong Kong" by Bin Chuen Choi, received an honourable mention from the jury members.

The title of "Chainsaw" rang out again when the Critics Jury announced the Australian film as the winner for its ability to continually surprise the audience. The jury also decided that special mention was deserved by "Revolver," The Note by the British director Jon Greenhalgh, and animated films "Tolerantia" by Ivan Ramadán (Bosnia-Herzegovina) and "Dji vou veu volti" by the Belgian, Benoit Feroumont.

The Youth Jury at the 36th Huesca Film Festival decided to award their prize, sponsored by the Anselmo Pié Sopena Foundation, to "Braedrabylta" by the Icelandic director Grimur Hákonarson. They also gave a special mention to "Le Parloir" by Marie Vernalde from France..

Finally, the Audience Prize was given to the Italian feature film "Cientochiodi" by Ermanno Olmi.

Award Danzante Iberoamerican Short Film Contest:
“Nasija” (Spain)
Director: Guillermo Ríos Bordón

Award Cacho Pallero Iberoamerican Short Film Contest: “Parece La Pierna De Una Muñeca” (Argentina)
Director: Jazmín López

Award Jinete Iberico Iberoamerican Short Film Contest;
“El Prestidigitador” (Spain)
Director: Hugo Sanz

Award Los Olvidados Aragonese Short Film Contest:
“Los Que Callaron, Los Que Quedaron” (Spain)
Director: Felipe Osanz Sanz

Award Danzante International Short Film Contest:
“Lampa Cu Caciula” (Romania)
Director: Radu Jude

Special Award Of The Jury International Short Film Contest:
“Deweneti "Ousmane"
Director: Dyana Gaye

Award Francisco Garcia De Paso:
“Soufiane” (Netherlands)
Director: Natasja André De La Porte

Award Of The Critics:
“La Leçon De Danse” (France)
Director: Philippe Prouff

Award Of The Youth:
“Porno” (Poland)
Director: Jan Wagner

Award Danzante European Documentary Film Contest:
“Photo Souvenir” (Netherlands)
Director: Paul Cohen, Martijn Van Haalen

Sponsorship Of Tve:
“Every Good Marriage Begins With Tears” (United Kingdom)
Director: Simon Chambers

Award European:
“Indigènes” (France)
Director: Rachid Bouchareb

Special Mention Aragonese Short Film Contest:
“Por Tres Botes De Anchoas” (Spain)
Director: Pilar Gutiérrez

Special Mention Aragonese Short Film Contest:
“Vislumbre” (Spain)
Director: Domingo Moreno

Special Mention Of The Jury European Documentary Film Contest:
“De Larges Détails” (Sur Les Traces De Francis Alÿs)
(France)
Director: Julien Deveaux

Special Mention Of The Jury Iberoamerican Short Film Contest:
“Fin De Trayecto” (Mexico)
Director: Acán Coen

Special Mention Of The Jury Iberoamerican Short Film Contest:
“Stuart” (Portugal)
Director: Zepe Cavalheiro

Special Mention Of The Jury International Short Film Contest:
“Joyriders” (Ireland)
Director: Rebecca Daly

Special Mention Of The Jury International Short Film Contest:
“Le Diner” (France)
Director: Cécile Vernant

Special Mention Of The Jury International Short Film Contest:
“Public Spaces” (Netherlands)
Director: Martijn Veldhoen

Special Mention Of The Jury Of Critics:
“Alene Menn Sammen” (Norway)
Director: Trond Fausa Aurvag

Special Mention Of The Jury Of Critics:
“Fair Trade” (Germany)
Director: Michael Dreher

Special Mention Of The Jury Of Critics:
“Lampa Cu Caciula” (Romania)
Director: Radu Jude

Sponsorship Of Tve
“Abandonatii” (Spain)
Director: Joan Soler