Ikusmira Berriak, the programme of residencies and audiovisual project development, organised by the San Sebastian Festival, Tabakalera International Centre for Contemporary Culture and the Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola (EQZE), opens today the call for submissions for its ninth edition.

Filmmakers from the Basque Country, Spain and other countries can submit their projects until September 1. The same applies to participants in the Nest section and students at the EQZE. Registration needs to be done online and applicants will have to submit a dossier consisting of synopsis, treatment, letter of intent and biofilmography. The works selected in each of the five categories will be announced in November.

The eight weeks of residency will be divided into two periods: six weeks between March and April 2023 at San Sebastian’s Tabakalera Centre, which the residents will use to set their projects in motion and another two during the actual Festival, where the directors will show their work, by now more developed, to film industry representatives.

From May until September, while each filmmaker will continue working on his or her project, they will receive online personalized tutorials from the experts committee of industry professionals.

Each selected work will receive a grant of 5,000 euros towards its development in June, in order that they may continue to work on their projects between the two residency periods. Finally, the Irusoin production company will present the Irusoin Postproduction Award to one of the selected projects, which will have the opportunity to use the sound, colour and graphics postproduction services until obtaining a master DCP.

Current Edition

Ana Cristina Barragán, Jaume Claret, Meritxell Colell, Irati Gorostidi, João Paulo Miranda and Maximiliano Schonfeld participate in Ikusmira Berriak’s eighth edition, currently underway. They started to develop their projects at Tabakalera Artists’ Space during six weeks, between March and April, and they will return in September during the 70th edition of the Festival.

In the last years, the Ikusmira Berriak project has been enriched with several measures. Not only it has increased the number of residencies from five to six, but it also offers its residents additional and personal tutorials by professionals including Elena López Riera, Jean-Gabriel Périot, José Luis Torres Leiva, Lucile Hadzihalilovic, Fernanda del Nido and Paolo Moretti. Ikusmira Berriak continues, in this way, its search for new talent, offering enhanced accompaniment to filmmakers from all over the world.

In parallel to the growth of the programme, it has become increasingly successful. Since its first edition in 2015, Ikusmira Berriak has supported the development of a total of 38 audiovisual projects, 16 of which have been completed. Thirteen of them have been premiered and have been enjoyed a successful career on the international festival circuit. This year, for example, Elena López Riera presented El agua / The Water, her first feature film, at the Cannes Directors' Fortnight.

To access the Terms & Conditions and submit a project, click here.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1