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 Canadian director Denis Villeneuve achieved international fame with Incendies, which was nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film and showed his interest in international conflicts. His latest film Sicario is set on the border between Mexico and the US and deals with the war on drugs by the American government that leads to an illegal undercover operation by obscure American forces. Screened in the Pearls section at the Festival, it is a reflection on the temptation to solve international conflicts y operating outside the law. “It takes place in Mexico but it could just as well occur in the Middle East” the director explained. The star of the film, Benicio del Toro, pointed out that, “someone decided that you can’t fight fire with water anymore, you have to fight fire with fire.”