ZINEBI – International Festival of Documentary and Short Film of Bilbao, in its capacity as Partner Festival of Cannes Docs (the “Marché du Film”‘s documentary platform), has worked alongside ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones, the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) and the FICX – Gijón/Xixón International Film Festival to organise the first showcase of Spain in the entire history of Cannes Docs, to be held on 21 May at Riviera2, in the Cannes Festival and Congress Centre.

In the wake of a selection process completed during the second week of April, four documentary feature films were chosen in the presence of a prestigious audience composed of the programmers of the world’s major film festivals, and leading producers, distributors and directors of documentary films:

  • Itoiz, directed by Larraitz Zuazo, and produced by Doxa Producciones.
  • Los restos del pasar, directed by Luis “Soto” Muñoz and Alfredo Picazo, and produced by Du Cardelin Studio and Mubox Studio.
  • Um film de Fernando Ruiz Vergara, directed by Concha Barquero and Alejandro Alvarado, and produced by Azhar Media and Alvarquero.
  • Un árbol es un árbol, directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet, and produced by Suica Productions, AXfilms and Lastor Media.

The directors and producers of the four documentaries chosen will have the chance to present footage of their projects in the market space given over to documentary professionals, showcasing the documentary genre and its organic integration within the international film industry.

Cannes Docs will be held between 18 and 24 May as part of the general framework of the world’s greatest film festival, and specifically in “Marché du Film”.

In addition to ZINEBI, some of the world’s leading documentary film festivals form part of the select group of Cannes Docs partner festivals: CPH:DOX (Denmark), DokuFest (Kosovo), DOK Leipzig (Germany), Movies that Matter Festival (Netherlands), Visions du Réel (Switzerland), RIDM – Montreal International Documentary Festival (Canada), DMZ Docs (Republic of Korea), É Tudo Verdade / It’s All True International Documentary Film Festival (Brazil) and Ji.hlava (Czech Republic).

ZINEBI’s experience at Cannes Docs and its trajectory as a festival lending full support to documentary feature films – through ZINEBI Networking, which has been held every year since 2018 – were instrumental in the organisation of this programme of documentaries which strives to bring in new international co-producers and additional funds to finance the films chosen.