The Bilbao International Festival of Documentary and Short Film – ZINEBI, organized by the Bilbao City Council, is strengthening its ties with the international film community in its 68th edition through new professional collaborations and a program featuring works and filmmakers from various countries. Among these initiatives, its partnership with the Marrakech Short Film Festival stands out, utilizing the Moroccan festival's new film development platform.
This collaboration materialized with the awarding of the ZINEBI Industry Award to the project "Fragments of an Ordinary Day," directed by Zahra Berrada and produced by Oumayma Zekri Ajarrai of May Advisory Studio. The award, presented on September 30th in Marrakech, will allow the team to participate in ZINEBI 68, scheduled from November 20th to 27th, and continue networking with audiovisual industry professionals.
The agreement aligns with ZINEBI's objective to expand its relationships with international festivals and platforms, promote project circulation, and support emerging filmmakers beyond their home countries.
The Marrakech Short Film Festival held its sixth edition last September, launching AMANAR, a professional platform aimed at supporting the creation and development of Moroccan short films. The initiative brought together twelve international professionals and five selected projects for industry days, advisory sessions, and presentations to sector specialists. Attendees included representatives from festivals and institutions such as Cannes, Clermont-Ferrand, FESPACO, and ZINEBI.
Basque filmmaker and researcher Iratxe Fresneda, a ZINEBI collaborator and professor at the University of the Basque Country (EHU), served on the jury for the project presentation sessions, alongside professionals from the African audiovisual industry.
The winning project, "Fragments of an Ordinary Day," is currently in its development phase, seeking funding and collaborators. Its participation in Bilbao will offer opportunities to establish professional relationships and advance its international trajectory.
AMANAR also includes a twelve-month follow-up program and a new work phase in Cairo in 2027, aiming to provide ongoing support to participating projects.
