Javier Polo is a Valencian filmmaker that shares his passion for documentaries and fiction productions with the world of advertising. He has received several awards for his innovative work in diverse formats, having shot films on five different continents. His penchant for music and travel has influenced his life, from his early career until today, as it is evident in his two feature documentaries: “Europe in 8 Bits” (2013), broadcasted in more than twenty countries and world premiered at IDFA and “The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo” (2020) world premiered at South By Southwest, recognized with three Berlanga awards and nominated for best documentary at the Gaudí awards. He joined forces with his brother Guillermo creating the producer company Los Hermanos Polo and together they are working in two fiction films that were shot recently: “Lo Carga el Diablo” and “Pequeños Calvarios”, his first fiction film as a director. Apart from this, he has made numerous short films, some of which have also toured the globe on festivals, TVs and platforms. For the last 10 years he has directed many commercials and he is becoming obsessed lately with kitsch, the theory of color and mainly… the oysters.
SELECTED SCREENINGS
2023. Austin Film Festival (US)
2023. Amarcort Film Festival (Italy)
2023. Festival de Cine de Huesca (Spain)
2023. Reggio Film Festival (Italy)
2023. Rizoma Film Festival (Spain)
2023. Festival de Cine de Girona (Spain)
2023. Cinemajove (Spain)
2021. Beijing International Film Festival (China) Asian Premiere
2021. Bafici. Buenos Aires (Argentina) Latinamerican Premiere
2021. Fipadoc. Biarritz (France) European Premiere
2021. Hainan Island International Film Festival (China)
2021. Norient Film Festival. Bern (Switzerland)
2021. Docville. Brussels (Belgium)
2021. Transilvania International Film Festival. (Rumania)
2021. Espoo Ciné International Film Festival. (Finland)
2021. Dock of the Bay. San Sebastián (Spain)
2020. South by Southwest. Austin, Texas (US) World Premiere
2020. Raindance. London (UK) European Premiere
2020. La Mostra de Valencia. (Spain) Opening Film
2020. Rizoma Festival. Madrid (Spain)
2020. Abycine. Albacete (Spain)
2020. In-Edit Festival. Barcelona and Santiago (Spain and Chile)
2019. Interfilm Festival. Berlin. (Germany)
2019. Szczecin Film Festival. Szczecin (Poland)
2019. Busho Film Festival. Budapest (Hungary)
2016. Miami International Film Festival. Miami (US) World Premiere
2016. International Film Festival of Cinema Pobre. Gibara (Cuba)
2016. Fear No Film International Utah Arts Festival. (US)
2016. Cebu International Film Festival. Cebu (Philippines)
2016. Alfàs del Pi Film Festival. (Spain)
2015. Flatpack Film Festival. Birmingham (UK)
2015. Norient Film Festival. Bern (Switzerland)
2015. 6th European Film Festival. (Puerto Rico)
2015. Rizoma Festival. Madrid (Spain)
2014. Miami International Film Festival. (US) American Premiere
2014. Festival de Cine de Málaga. (Spain)
2014. Indielisboa. Lisbon (US)
2014. Jecheon International Music Film Festival. (South Korea)
2014. Milano Film Festival. (Italy)
2014. IndieCork. (Ireland)
2014. Sonar Festival. Barcelona (Spain)
2014. In-Edit Festival. Barcelona and Santiago (Spain and Chile)
2014. Dock of the Bay. San Sebastián (Spain)
2014. Sound + Vision Program Lincoln Center. New York (US)
2013. IDFA. Amsterdam (Netherlands) World Premiere
AWARDS
2023. Nominated for Best Documentary Short Film. PREMIOS GOYA (Spain)
2023. Winner for Best Short Film. PREMIOS FEROZ (Spain)
2023. Nominated for Best Documentary Short Film. PREMIOS FUGAZ (Spain)
2023. Winner for Best Documentary Short Film. PREMIOS BERLANGA (Spain)
2023. Nominated for Best Music Clip. PREMIS CARLES SANTOS (Spain)
2022. Winner for Best Music Clip. PREMIS CARLES SANTOS (Spain)
2022. Winner for Best Music Clip. MALLORCA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Spain)
2021. Nominated for Best Documentary. PREMIOS GAUDÍ (Spain)
2021. Nominated for Best Film BLOGOS DE ORO (Spain)
2021. Nominated for Best Script BLOGOS DE ORO (Spain)
2020. Nominated for Best Cinematography RAINDANCE (UK)
2020. Best Documentary PREMIOS BERLANGA (Spain)
2020. Best Production Design PREMIOS BERLANGA (Spain)
2020. Best Sound PREMIOS BERLANGA (Spain)
2020. Nominated for Best Scriptwriting PREMIOS BERLANGA (Spain)
2018. Winner best pitch SUNNY SIDE OF THE DOC (France)
2016. Award of Best Director at SALENTO FINIBUS TERRAE (Italy)
2016. Nominee for Best Story at SOUTHERN ARIZONA FILM FESTIVAL (US)
2016. Audience Award at the DAROCA & PRISION FILM FESTIVAL (Spain)
2016. Award of 2nd Best Short Film at CORTOCOMENIUS (Spain)
2016. Special Mention at the International Festival OJO AL PIOJO (Argentina)
2015. Audience Award for the best movie at FEELFEST
2014. Jury Winner at SOUNDTRACK COLOGNE 2014 (Germany)
2014. Nominee for best documentary at MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL (US)
2014. Winner for best film International VIMEO VOD AWARD (US)
2013. Winner for best film Media100cia de la UNIVERSIDAD DE VALENCIA (Spain)
2013. Winner for best commercial Melones Bollo de la UPV (Spain)
2012. 2nd Best commercial film at PEPSI FILMS FESTIVAL (Kathmandu)
2012. Special Mention commercial film at PEPSI FILMS FESTIVAL (Poland)
2010. Best Short Film V MOSTRA AUDIOVISUAL de UPV (Spain)
2010. Best Music Film V MOSTRA AUDIOVISUAL de UPV (Spain)
2010. 2nd Best Short Film in ADELAIDE FESTIVAL CENTER (Australia)
PRESS
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