Goroka: “Balandrau, infern glaçat” preselected for the Premis Gaudí

Goroka: documentary “Balandrau, infern glaçat” preselected for the Premis Gaudí in the category Best Documentary. 

“Balandrau, infern glaçat” has been preselected for the 14th edition of the Premis Gaudí of Academia del Cine Catalán in the category Best Documentary. The movie, co-produced by TV3, Lastor Media and Goroka, is based on the book “3 nights of blizzard and 1 New Year’s Eve” by the meteorologist Jordi Cruz. The winners will be announced on Sunday 6th of March 2022 in the Sala Oval of MNAC.

Goroka, partner space of Poblenou Urban District, is a full-service production company which specialises in telling engaging and compelling stories. For more than 15 years, they have been creating and developing new formats, original and on demand content. Series and programmes, documentary films, commercials and branded content for broadcasters, streaming platforms, agencies, brands and institutions. Balandrau, infern glaçat, is the last documentary they produced and was released in May 2021. 

Balandrau, infern glaçat: On that morning of the 30th of December 2000, Josep Maria Vilà, a 27-year-old biochemist, started the ascent to the peak of Balandrau accompanied by his partner and three other friends. At noon, the weather changed abruptly, and the torb appeared, a type of blizzard and a truly brutal meteorological phenomenon. A Monster of cold, snow and wind that in a few moments turns the mountain into a death trap. The wind-chill factor reaches -40ºC. The fury of the snow allows nothing to be seen or heard.

Balandrau, infern glaçat (frozen hell) wishes to pay homage and remember — with the perspective of twenty years that have passed since that tragedy — the story of those who died, and the emotional testimony of those who managed to survive.

The film has been shortlisted for the Goya Awards 2022 in the Best Documentary Film category. It has also won the Special Jury Mention at DocsValència, and the Mountain Experience Award at the Tegernsee Film Festival (Bavaria). During these months, Balandrau continues its route through international festivals: DocsBarcelona, Kinocat (Munich), Inkafest (Peru), Bannf (Canada), Teplice nad Metují (Czech Republic), Krakow Mountain Festival (Poland), Poprad (Slovakia) or the Cambridge Film Festival.

The Academy of Catalan Cinema organizes and awards annual prices to broadcast and promote the best movies, artists and technicians of Catalan cinematographic sector. Their main goal when organizing the Gaudí Prices is to provide them the prestige and the stamp of other similar prices in Europe and worldwide. 

From Poblenou Urban District we’re looking forward to the 6th of March 2022 and wish Goroka lots of luck.