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).
The film critic and journalist, Chris Fujiwara, is at the Festival for the second year on the run. Last year he was here as Artistic Director of the Edinburgh Festival to see how the Festival was run, while this year he has been invited to form part of the New Directors section jury, which he acknowledges is a great honour. He really appreciates this section because “it shows that the Festival is interested in encouraging new people.” He also thinks that the cash prize is important because it is a great help for the filmmaker who receives it. “That’s why we have the responsibility of making sure we give the award to the right person,” he said.