Z365" or "Festival all year round" is the new strategic point of the Festival in which converge investigation, accompaniment and development of new talents (Ikusmira Berriak, Nest); training and cinematic knowledge transfer (Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola, Zinemaldia + Plus, Filmmakers' dialogue); and investigation, disclosure and cinematic thought (Z70 project, Thought and Discussion and Research and publications).
Doors as a metaphor for the compendium of viewpoints that can be found in cinema provide the concept that has inspired this year’s opening gala. As in previous years, Manuel Palacios has designed the set for the ceremony which will be held tonight in the Kursaal, hosted by the journalist Edurne Ormazabal and the actor Eduardo Noriega.
Before the traditional overview of the Festival, the actress Olivia Williams will receive the Fipresci Award for Best Film of the year for The Ghost Writer on behalf of Roman Polanski from Andrei Plakhov, the Chairman of the International Federation of Film Critics. The personalities introducing the various sections will include Anney Siegel, who will be presenting the retrospective that the Festival will be devoting to her father, Don Siegel, and John Malkovich, who together with Diego Luna will be introducing Horizontes Latinos. This section will be opened by the Mexican film, Abel, which is directed by Luna himself and co-produced by Malkovich.
After the presentation of all the sections, the chairman of the Official Jury, Goran Paskaljevic, will give a short speech, accompanied on stage by his fellow jury members.
The ceremony will be rounded off by the screening of Chicogrande, which will be introduced by its director, Felipe Cazals.