Digital Footprint was the theme chosen in this edition of the IMMA Awards, in a gala organised by students from the Faculty of Communication Sciences and led by Hugo Montiel, third year student of Journalism and Júlia Viza, graduate and current collaborator of communication and events at the Faculty of Communication Sciences.
The awards challenged the students to relate their projects to this year’s theme: Digital Footprint. First prize in the extraordinary Methos Media category went to You set the limits, by Ivet Berdié, Martí Figueres and Marta Sala, third years from Advertising and Public Relations. Through an AI voice, the short film illustrates how mobile phones can retain all our information without our awareness, transforming it into virtual projections of each person and creating a digital reflection of ourselves.
The Contraste award, the second in the extraordinary category, was for Sí, aceptar (Yes, Accept), by Pablo Prats, second year Advertising and Public Relations students, a parody about the cookies we accept when browsing the Internet. The third prize was awarded to Martí Figueres, individually, for Querido diario (Dear Diary), a short film that explores the power we have to read any person's story through social networks, and the dangers that this entails.
The awards of the extraordinary category were presented by Miguel Ferrández, General Manager of Methos Media, who highlighted the work of the winners and encouraged the rest of the students in the audience to dare to create audiovisual content. “Today, all information comes to us through the digital environment. You are not aware of the power of the audiovisual world: you can change the world.”
Pedro Sigaud, dean of the Faculty of Communication Sciences, closed the ceremony by congratulating all the winners and thanking the sponsors for their support and all those involved in organising the awards ceremony. Sigaud highlighted the relevance of these awards as an opportunity for students to shine and put into practice in a professional context all the knowledge acquired during the course: “They are a platform for visibility for you and an opportunity to introduce you to industry professionals,” he said. He added that “each person will adopt behaviours, buy products, get services and make decisions taking into account what you communicate as future communication professionals and, therefore, leaders of society.”
In addition, the UIC Barcelona Values Special Recognition Award was presented to Project Lucas, a documentary about a school for children at risk of social exclusion, produced by Nico Huistra, Ian Nisa and Santi Salvador, second year students in Audiovisual Communication. Dean Pedro Sigaud presented the award and had a few words for the winners, reminding them that “as communicators, we have to reflect aspects such as the spirit of service, the desire to improve the world and fundamental values such as ethics, integrity, positive social impact and commitment to truth.”
This year’s jury was made up of Marc Vaillo, film music composer and co-director of the La Alternativa Independent Film Festival; José Daniel Luri, director of Advertising and Brand Content in Barcelona in Webedia; and Eva Arderius, director and host of Betevé’s “Bàsics” programme. Miguel Ferrández, CEO of Methos Media was juror for the extraordinary category.
This year’s edition was animated by the musical performance of Mireia Pagès, fourth year Audiovisual Communication student and during the subsequent refreshment, students Pablo Prats and Álvaro Requena, second year of Advertising and Public Relations and first year of Audiovisual Communication, respectively.
The rest of the awards by categories were as follows:
Photography and Graphic Arts: Soledad en el abismo (Solitude in the Abyss), by Martí Figueres, third year in Advertising and Public Relations.
Sound and Music: Jingle IKEA, by Pablo Prats, second of Advertising and Public Relations.
Fiction: Acostumbrarme (Getting used to it), Aina Calopa, Júlia Ferreri, Ainhoa Lucas, Mariia Melnikova, Mireia Pagès, Eugènia Pérez, Ignacio Pérez, Nèstor Rodríguez, Víctor Rossy and Pablo Ruzafa, fourth year in Audiovisual Communication.
Non-Fiction: Project Lucas, by Nico Huistra, Ian Nisa and Santi Salvador, second of Audiovisual Communication.
Transmedia Advertising Campaign: Jingle IKEA, by Pablo Prats, second year Advertising and Public Relations.
UIC Barcelona Values Special Recognition: Project Lucas, by Nico Huistra, Ian Nisa and Santi Salvador, second year Audiovisual Communication.
The sponsors of the 14th IMMA Awards were Methos Media, Contraste and La Caixa Foundation. La Real, INSTAX, La Alternativa and the Cosmocaixa Science Museum also collaborated in the awards. UIC Barcelona School of Architecture also participated by making the awards trophies and the sets for the event.
