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).
American director and screenwriter Sean Baker will share his innovative and realistic approach to cinematic storytelling. Known for his portrayal of events on the margins of society, he will discuss his creative process and his commitment to authenticity in film. During this talk, Baker will explore themes such as the representation of underrepresented communities, the use of independent film as a tool for social change, and the innovative filmmaking techniques that have characterised his work, such as The Florida Project, Tangerine and the recent Palme d'Or winner at Cannes, Anora, which will also participate in the Perlak section of this year's Festival.
Sean Baker (Summit, New Jersey, USA. 1971) made his directorial debut in 2000 with Four Letter Words. His next two films, Take Out (2004) and Prince of Broadway (2008) were nominated for the John Cassavetes Independent Spirit Awards, which gave its Robert Altman Award to Starlet (2012) in the same year of its release. Tangerine (2015) had its premiere at the Sundance Festival and won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 2017 The Florida Project (Perlak) premiered in the Cannes Quinzaine des Cinéastes, going on to bag a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination for Willem Dafoe, among many other accolades. With Red Rocket (Perlak, 2021) he competed at the Festival de Cannes, at which Anora carried off the Palme d'Or for Best Film.