Academy award-winning filmmaker, Asif Kapadia will receive the Evolution Vision award at the 8th Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF).
With seminal titles such as ‘Diego Maradona’ and ‘Senna’ under his belt, Asif Kapadia studied filmmaking at the Royal College of Art, where he directed his first film- ‘The Sheep Thief’. A 24-minute short, the film earned him many international awards including the second prize in the first edition of the Cinéfondation section at Cannes in 1998. His debut feature, ‘Warrior’, brought his distinct and observant artistic eye to the forefront and all his following works have spoken volumes to people through the language of cinema.
‘Senna’, a feature documentary, which chronicles the life and the ultimate-fatal race of the Brazilian motor-racing champion, Ayrton Senna, relied primarily on archive racetrack footage and home clips, making Kapadia a pioneer in terms of the documentary filmmaking style. The film earned him various accolades, including two BAFTA awards and the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for Best World Cinema Documentary.
A still from 'Senna'
The other two films in the trilogy, documenting the illustrious and fateful lives of prodigies, were uproariously applauded as well. ‘Amy’, based on the British singer-songwriter, Amy Winehouse, won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and a BAFTA for Best Documentary in 2015, to name a few. Kapadia found a fitting subject to conclude his trilogy in the figure of the Argentinian footballer, Diego Maradona. He used his signature documentary style to document his sprawling career. ‘Diego Maradona’ world premiered at Cannes this year and was nominated for the Golden Eye Award.
Kapadia also has his name attached to the riveting adaptation of the eponymous novel, ‘Ali and Nino’ and the crime-thriller Netflix series, ‘Mindhunter’.
A still from 'Ali and Nino'
Now in its 8th year, EMIFF celebrates international independent films and is set in the heart of Mallorca’s picturesque and historically rich centre of Palma. Spread over six days, the program is curated to showcase a collective mix of culturally diverse and gripping films, music videos and virtual reality projects. It is now recognized as one of the fastest-growing film festivals in Europe with competitive screenings unfolding at some of the most striking locations.
The Evolution Vision Award, EMIFF’s top accolade, is presented on the opening night of the festival, to commemorate an artist for his/her creative ingenuity and inclusive stories that transgress boundaries to leave a lasting mark on the audience. Kapadia will be the Guest of Honour at the festival and a special screening of ‘Amy’ will be hosted in celebration of his award.
“We are honoured and humbled to welcome Asif Kapadia as this year’s Evolution Vision Award recipient, celebrating him as a visionary filmmaker who inspires audiences, breaks boundaries and bridges cultures”, said Festival Director, Sandra Lipski.