Culture and Governance Councillor

BILBAO AND ZINEBI: CULTURE IN CONNECTION

In over six decades of history, ZINEBI has gained recognition as a key component of Bilbao’s cultural fabric. Since its beginnings, it has worked hard to consolidate its position as one of the main hubs promoting and showcasing documentary films and short films on the international stage, connecting our city to a global network of creators who make ZINEBI a must-see event on the worldwide circuit.

The Festival is also a reflection of the burgeoning audiovisual industry in Bilbao and the surrounding area, thus creating opportunities for local professional practitioners. In this regard, ZINEBI has become Bilbao’s economic streamliner, generating a positive impact across many sectors: cinematographic creation and production, naturally, but also creating wealth in the hospitality sector, the services sector, and other areas of local activity.

ZINEBI has worked to harmonise its international projection with a solid commitment to the local training and production fabric, with a particular emphasis on Basque production. This festival is a melting pot of creation, academia and industry, for the purpose of dialogue, the exchange of ideas, and the creation of collaboration networks. The events and mouthpiece activities we have organised assist in developing new generations of filmmakers, to help them penetrate an increasingly competitive, globalised market. We want to have a bearing on the promotion of emerging talent and the consolidation of Bilbao as a creative hub.

In short, ZINEBI is not only a red-letter event in Bilbao’s cultural calendar, but also a key factor in the expansion of its audiovisual industry. Welcome one and all to the 66th ZINEBI Festival, homing in on the city and on the future.