From 18 February, Bilbao opens the 16th edition of its international LGBTI film festival, Zinegoak.
The theme for this year’s event is a call for everybody to be able to be who they are, how and where they want.
‘It seems as though men and women can only show themselves according to established social rules, and when someone doesn’t they’re branded as bizarre, affected, inappropriate or any number of other adjectives,’ says Pau Guillén, director of Zinegoak.
The festival’s official poster features Mexican wrestler Cassandro el Exótico, triple world champion and one of the first in the sport to be open about his sexual orientation. The image is taken from a report by photographer Katie Orlinksy for The New Yorker.
Among the films that make up the official selection are a documentary about Cassandro el Exótico by director Marie Losier, the Russian film The Man Who Surprised Everyone (2018) about a group of heterosexuals who discover the pressure involved in not expressing your sexuality according to current societal norms, and Les Garçons Sauvages (2018) from Bertrand Mandico, a critically acclaimed work that ‘Cahiers de cinema’ magazine named as the best film from last year.
As well as the screenings, the festival’s programme includes related activities such as talks, concerts and performances.
When: 18 February to 3 March
Where: Various venues
More info: zinegoak.com
