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To talk about Francisco Pizarro Asenjo is to talk about the very origin of Cimasub, the promotion of underwater activities in Gipuzkoa and his unconditional love of the sea and its mysteries. Founder of the San Sebastian International Underwater Film Series and co-founder of the Underwater Activities Section of the Royal Society, his name is deeply linked to the history of diving in our territory.
From his childhood in the houses that no longer exist in front of Ondarreta beach, Paco - as he is affectionately known - developed a passion that would mark his life and that of many others. It was precisely in those waters where, as a child, he discovered the seabed thanks to a curious encounter with a French diver who lent him a pair of goggles and taught him to look down into that blue universe that would captivate him forever.
But his story did not stop at the shore. With hardly any means and at a time when diving was an almost unknown activity, Francisco Pizarro set out to build a community. Thus was born the Underwater Section of Real Sociedad, with him as the undisputed driving force. From there he promoted projects, created bridges with other federations and played an active part in the birth of the Guipuzcoa Federation of Underwater Activities - of which he was the first president - and the Spanish Federation (FEDAS), as well as collaborating closely with international organisations such as CEMAS.
The great work of his life, however, has been the San Sebastian International Underwater Film Festival (Cimasub), which he directed for 35 years since its foundation in 1975. It was the first underwater film cycle or festival to be held in the world, a pioneering initiative born with a budget of barely 8,000 pesetas and a revolutionary idea: to show the general public, through film, the beauty and richness of the seabed. What began as an almost artisanal proposal, with films loaned by foreign embassies, became an international benchmark. Today, half a century later, the Cimasub is still alive, projecting Paco's passion for the sea through each frame.
For his commitment, in 1998 the San Sebastian City Council awarded him the Citizen's Medal of Merit, the most important award he received and the one he was most proud of. This recognition was awarded to him for his years at the head of the cycle and for proudly carrying the name of Donostia around the world.
His work did not go unnoticed beyond our borders. He received recognition in places as diverse as Antibes (France), Istanbul (Turkey), Cozumel (Mexico), Berre-l'Étang (France) or Valladolid, consolidating his figure as one of the great international ambassadors of underwater cinema and marine conservation.
For all these reasons, we at Cimasub wanted to pay tribute to his legacy by creating the Francisco Pizarro Award, a very special prize that we present every year to outstanding people in the world of underwater images. It is not only a professional recognition, but a gesture full of admiration and gratitude to those who, like Paco, not only dive into the water, but also into the task of inspiring, teaching and moving.
The Francisco Pizarro Award is not just a name. It is a symbol. It is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who, with a camera in hand and a heart full of blue, follow in the footsteps of that curious boy from Ondarreta who dreamt of showing the world what lay beneath the waves.
The Francisco Pizarro Special Award is a tribute that the Donostia-San Sebastian International Underwater Film Festival (CIMASUB) presents each year to an outstanding figure in the field of underwater images. This recognition bears the name of Francisco ‘Paco’ Pizarro, a tireless promoter of Cimasub, a pioneer of underwater cinema and a great reference in the dissemination of the underwater world.
With this award, the Underwater Activities Section of Real Sociedad wishes to keep alive the memory of our friend, colleague and teacher Paco, paying tribute to those who, like him, have dedicated their lives to showing the beauty, diversity and fragility of the oceans through images.
The award recognises both exceptional professional careers and significant contributions to the dissemination and conservation of the marine environment. Year after year, the Cimasub gives well-deserved thanks to people whose work has left its mark on the world of underwater images, documentaries, photography and communication.
Find out about the people who have received this recognition in previous editions of the Cimasub by clicking on the menu.
To talk about Francisco Pizarro Asenjo is to talk about the very origin of Cimasub, the promotion of underwater activities in Gipuzkoa and his unconditional love of the sea and its mysteries. Founder of the San Sebastian International Underwater Film Series and co-founder of the Underwater Activities Section of the Royal Society, his name is deeply linked to the history of diving in our territory.
From his childhood in the houses that no longer exist in front of Ondarreta beach, Paco - as he is affectionately known - developed a passion that would mark his life and that of many others. It was precisely in those waters where, as a child, he discovered the seabed thanks to a curious encounter with a French diver who lent him a pair of goggles and taught him to look down into that blue universe that would captivate him forever.
But his story did not stop at the shore. With hardly any means and at a time when diving was an almost unknown activity, Francisco Pizarro set out to build a community. Thus was born the Underwater Section of Real Sociedad, with him as the undisputed driving force. From there he promoted projects, created bridges with other federations and played an active part in the birth of the Guipuzcoa Federation of Underwater Activities - of which he was the first president - and the Spanish Federation (FEDAS), as well as collaborating closely with international organisations such as CEMAS.
The great work of his life, however, has been the San Sebastian International Underwater Film Festival (Cimasub), which he directed for 35 years since its foundation in 1975. It was the first underwater film cycle or festival to be held in the world, a pioneering initiative born with a budget of barely 8,000 pesetas and a revolutionary idea: to show the general public, through film, the beauty and richness of the seabed. What began as an almost artisanal proposal, with films loaned by foreign embassies, became an international benchmark. Today, half a century later, the Cimasub is still alive, projecting Paco's passion for the sea through each frame.
For his commitment, in 1998 the San Sebastian City Council awarded him the Citizen's Medal of Merit, the most important award he received and the one he was most proud of. This recognition was awarded to him for his years at the head of the cycle and for proudly carrying the name of Donostia around the world.
His work did not go unnoticed beyond our borders. He received recognition in places as diverse as Antibes (France), Istanbul (Turkey), Cozumel (Mexico), Berre-l'Étang (France) or Valladolid, consolidating his figure as one of the great international ambassadors of underwater cinema and marine conservation.
For all these reasons, we at Cimasub wanted to pay tribute to his legacy by creating the Francisco Pizarro Award, a very special prize that we present every year to outstanding people in the world of underwater images. It is not only a professional recognition, but a gesture full of admiration and gratitude to those who, like Paco, not only dive into the water, but also into the task of inspiring, teaching and moving.
The Francisco Pizarro Award is not just a name. It is a symbol. It is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who, with a camera in hand and a heart full of blue, follow in the footsteps of that curious boy from Ondarreta who dreamt of showing the world what lay beneath the waves.
The Francisco Pizarro Special Award is a tribute that the Donostia-San Sebastian International Underwater Film Festival (CIMASUB) presents each year to an outstanding figure in the field of underwater images. This recognition bears the name of Francisco ‘Paco’ Pizarro, a tireless promoter of Cimasub, a pioneer of underwater cinema and a great reference in the dissemination of the underwater world.
With this award, the Underwater Activities Section of Real Sociedad wishes to keep alive the memory of our friend, colleague and teacher Paco, paying tribute to those who, like him, have dedicated their lives to showing the beauty, diversity and fragility of the oceans through images.
The award recognises both exceptional professional careers and significant contributions to the dissemination and conservation of the marine environment. Year after year, the Cimasub gives well-deserved thanks to people whose work has left its mark on the world of underwater images, documentaries, photography and communication.
Find out about the people who have received this recognition in previous editions of the Cimasub by clicking on the menu.
