Dries Vanherwegen wins the SpotSport 2026 competition with the spot “L’esport viu aquí”
The Barcelona Olympic Foundation (FBO) is pleased to announce that Dries Vanherwegen, animation creator and acclaimed audiovisual artist, has been awarded first prize in the SpotSport 2026 competition for his video “L’Esperit del Moviment.”
With this recognition, Vanherwegen will receive a €1,000 prize, and his spot will become the official image of the promotional campaign for the 16th edition of the BCN Sports Film Festival, to be held in Barcelona from February 23 to March 3, 2026.
About the SpotSport competition
Organised by the Barcelona Olympic Foundation with the support of Diario SPORT, SpotSport aims to engage the creative community in producing videos that capture the essence of sport and cinematic culture. This year’s competition received a wide range of high-quality submissions, showcasing the diversity of perspectives and creative techniques applied to the world of sport.
Vanherwegen’s proposal, titled “L’esport viu aquí”, won over the jury thanks to its fresh perspective, dynamic rhythm, and ability to convey emotion and movement in just a few seconds.
The spot, which will serve as one of the central pieces in the promotional campaign for the next edition of the festival, celebrates the vitality of sport in Barcelona and the spirit that defines the BCN Sports Film Festival: passion, effort, and community.
An author with social vision and cinematic sensitivity
Born in Belgium in 1985, Dries Vanherwegen is an award-winning documentary filmmaker who focuses on mental health, creativity, and identity in times of social change. His films bridge intimate human stories with broader social issues, as seen in Jugartistas (2022), Skate Spectrum (2023) —following autistic children who find freedom through skating— and the critical philosophy of renowned chef Laura Veraguas in Lo Que Queda (2024).
His work has been supported by the Nike Community Impact Fund and the European Journalism Fund, and presented at major international festivals such as the Odense Film Festival, the Evolution Mallorca Film Festival, and the Ceres Film Festival in New York. He has also contributed to large-scale productions like Tour de France: Unchained on Netflix.
A boost for creativity and sporting values
The SpotSport competition, organised by the Barcelona Olympic Foundation, aims each year to promote emerging audiovisual talent and strengthen the festival’s outreach through fresh creative perspectives. The winner receives a €1,000 prize, and the spot becomes part of the promotional campaign of the BCN Sports Film Festival 2025, featured across media, social platforms, and screenings.
With this new edition, the competition reaffirms its role as a platform for young creators who understand sport not only as competition, but as a powerful tool for expression, inclusion, and social transformation.
The BCN Sports Film Festival congratulates Dries Vanherwegen for his well-deserved recognition and thanks all participants who, through their talent and creativity, keep alive the energy that gives meaning to our festival.
