27/11/2025 - We delve deeper into a clutch of intriguing Spanish documentary projects currently in development that have been pitched in Bilbao

Zinebi head of programming Rubén Corral Giménez introducing the pitching session

The eighth iteration of Zinebi Networking has just unspooled as an integral part of Bilbao-based short and documentary festival Zinebi. Among other activities, it comprised one pitching competition for almost-finished films, with said movies screened for the jury in their current form, and another for projects in development. At the end of the forum, three financial grants will be awarded, with the support of the Basque Government, RTVE and EITB (each contributing a prize valued at €10,000).

Below, we take a look at some of the most intriguing projects in development.

Comando Igualdade. La revolución feminista agitando las aulas by Xiana do Teixeiro

Comando Igualdade. La revolución feminista agitando las aulas - Xiana do Teixeiro
Producers: Xiana do Teixeiro, Jaime Muguruza (Animala)
This participative documentary zooms in on a group of students who are revolutionising their school as they take charge of their own education. Established in a secondary school in Galicia, Comando Igualdade is a group that has existed for ten years, positioning itself as a self-managed feminist group aiming to educate (its members and others), and mediate in cases of gender- and sex-based violence. During the film, which spans three school years, the group will alter the way they see things (and see themselves), face growing resistance to their existence, and eventually weaken. But they will succeed in telling their story and will call on their future audience to share the burden of responsibility. The doc aims to examine this group and find out what it is like going through secondary education when you have a space like this available to you. As there are now other Comando Igualdade offshoots springing up in other parts of Spain, the team hopes this will make the movie more universally appealing and will attract youngsters to see it. The film is in advanced development, and the team is looking for funding, partners, sales agents and international co-producers.

Pajarracos - Zaira Zanguitu
Producers: Leire Apellaniz, Carmen Lacasa (Sr&Sra Producciones)
The surprising discovery that the Pekin duck's penis is 20 centimetres long and spiral-shaped has ruffled feathers in the scientific community, but only one evolutionary biologist and behavioural ecologist, Patricia Brennan, has been brave enough to ask: “Where does that spiral go? Why is no one talking about vaginas?” This humorous documentary mixes science, personal stories and traditions, showing that evolution is revolutionary and that the lives of females have many similarities across different species, including humans. Director Zaira Zanguitu, who in the film will link the scientific aspects of the topic to her own personal experience of suffering from a uterine tumour, highlights that only 8% of research into genital morphology has focused on the female reproductive system, versus 92% for the male equivalent, and it is time to redress the balance. The team has already secured support from the Basque government, but more research into the script is needed, and they are looking for additional funding to start shooting.

The Shortest Border in the World by Román Cadafalch

The Shortest Border in the World – Román Cadafalch
Producer: Alba Lombardía González (Escarlata)
The titular shortest border in the world can be found on a sandy isthmus perched at the top of the African continent, where an 80-metre blue rope separates Spain from Morocco. On one side is the Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, a rocky outcrop fortified and occupied by the Spanish military for the last five centuries; on the other is the Moroccan fishing village of Badis, where time seems to stand still. Spanish filmmaker Román Cadafalch has already spent a year shooting extensive footage of this place from the Moroccan side and talking to locals, as despite his nationality, he is unable to access the rock from the Spanish side. His project reflects on aspects of colonialism while focusing on the territory itself (which is virtually unknown, even among Spaniards), as well as probing the human, geographical and historical layers of the place. The team has already secured backing from ICEC, but additional private funding is needed to organise permits and ensure access to archive footage.

Nuestra piel levantada - Paolo Natale
Producers: Juan Carlos Ballesteros (Mubox Studio)
Director Paolo Natale is filming his father and grandfather to record their behaviour, focusing on their bodies and gradually identifying with them. He wonders whether they are aware of their emotions and whether they know about the eating behaviour disorder they are suffering from, as is he. Nuestra piel levantada is a portrait of male emotional education, exploring the links between body perception and power relations, and questioning the concept of masculinity, and its evolution from the traditional and the celebratory to the contemporary digital sphere. Among the most poignant scenes being shot are a number of sincere and pedagogical dialogues with his father, where Natale discloses his eating disorder diagnosis and tries to make his dad understand the patterns that led to his self-destructive behaviour. The VHS footage Natale is shooting himself will be interspersed with 3D models to lend the film a more sensorial feel. About one-third of the project has been shot already, and the team is looking for public funding to complement that already received from the Murcia region.

Eltzegorra by David Aguilar Iñigo

Eltzegorra - David Aguilar Iñigo
Producer: Iñaki Sagastume (Zazpi T’erdi)
The eltzegorra, a clay pot made of cat fur with a rope hanging from it, is a Basque musical instrument that was forbidden from being played centuries ago. In 1729, two brothers from Idiazabal were sentenced to exile for doing just that. In the trial, documented in a manuscript from that year, witnesses recall the events, making special mention of the description of the “infernal”, “atrocious” and “terrifying” sound and its effects, particularly on animals. Now, through the staging of the trial, the film explores the evocative power of sound and the fear of the unknown. One of the most intriguing aspects of the documentary is that the makers will not let the audience hear the actual sound of the bizarre instrument until the very end, thus maintaining a sense of mystery and intrigue throughout. Having secured 60% of the funding, the team is looking for sales agents, distributors, a festival premiere and co-producers, and is eyeing a spring shoot.