"At EQZE I discovered a framework for research, thought and writing that resonates with my needs and my voice"

1. Can you describe your Master’s graduation project?

2. How would you describe your experience at the school?

3. Who would you recommend Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola to?

ELISA JURI

1. My project involved developing a publishing project called Lúnars. I came with the intention of exploring alternative forms of writing in relation to film, and little by little I discovered the motivation behind that intention and how I could develop it. We formed a group of eight people and met regularly to write about a lost Basque film dating from 1924.

2. During my time at the school, I was able to integrate a wealth of pre-existing and new knowledge. I found a more personal way to express myself and, in doing so, discovered a structure for research, thought and writing that responds to my needs and my particular voice, so to speak. Instead of feeling constrained by pre-established forms, I constantly felt I had the space and encouragement to express my own point of view, as well as the tools I needed to develop it.

3. I would recommend the Master's course to anyone who wants to find precisely that: a structure that fits their particular method. I would also recommend it to those who have an interest in analogue films or archives, as well as to those who are willing to challenge, confront and question their own perspective.

GEMA BARBA ARANDA

1. ໒꒰ ྀིっ˕ -｡ ྀི꒱১ ˚ ⋆｡˚✧˚ ⋆ llevo soñando con esto un tiempo y me gustaría compartirlo contigo (I've been dreaming about this for a while and I'd like to share it with you) is a personal research project focusing on Internet cinema. Coming out of nowhere, yet lying latent for several years in various behaviours, thoughts and daily outlooks, Internet cinema appeared before me, without my fully understanding what it was about, although I instantly recognised its magnitude and significance. Throughout this (still ongoing) process, which is both investigative and vital, I have pondered a diverse set of questions, many of which are still unanswered: how does one arrive at something whose nature is still unknown? What if that something is not yet, but is in the process of becoming? Is it possible for things to begin before the words that describe them arrive? How do these things manifest themselves? How does one study something in motion without freezing it? What languages initiate a piece of research?

This project materialised in the context of the school during a meeting held within the framework of the Open Secret travelling film exhibition screenings. It was conceived as a space from which to continue investigating while at the same time sharing what I had thought and questioned, and which had challenged me in recent months.

2. I can summarise my experience at the school in a single word: enlightening. Enlightening in a structural sense, because it allowed me to see the alternatives—both existing and yet to come—to a hegemonic cinematic system. Enlightening also in a physical sense: during this year and a half, I have felt the weight and pace of a research project in my muscles, my breathing, my eyes. I have become aware of what my body can and cannot endure. Enlightening in a vital sense, because it has pushed me to see and explore issues of which I was previously unaware and that deeply interest me. And finally, enlightening in a professional sense, because it has strengthened my analytical skills and capacity for critical thinking.

3. I would recommend the EQZE to anyone feeling somewhat lost when faced with decisions regarding their life or career. Not because you will find definitive answers here, but because the school offers a space in which to stop for a while and allow these questions to unfold. In my experience, it is a place designed for those who have not yet had the time or opportunity to explore the breadth and complexity of the world of film.

GONZALO LÓPEZ GADANO

1. The project I submitted, which I developed with the invaluable help and guidance of my tutor (Ane Rodriguez Armendáriz) during my time at the EQZE, involves the comprehensive conceptualisation of a screening space to be built in my city on private land. In part, the project is a continuation—or at least an offshoot—of my work managing a film club that has been running for thirteen years and has moved from screening venue to screening venue until finally settling in a large theatre in the centre of the city. Although the space is beautiful and it is convenient to screen films there on a weekly basis, a certain curatorial approach is incompatible with the costs of occupying such a large cinema theatre. Hence the emergence of this space, which is currently imaginary but hopefully soon to become a reality. The idea is to build a small screening room on my own land, whose maintenance and operating costs will allow me to explore curatorial avenues I am currently prevented from pursuing due to material constraints.

2. Coming from southern Argentina—the very south of the south—most of my true training (I mean the kind that goes beyond the university setting) in audiovisual arts and curating took place in a very solitary environment, which made me realise that I wanted to dedicate my life to something related to cultural management. My experience at the EQZE changed that radically. The very concept of the course as a space for utterly multicultural interaction, with classmates from all over Latin America and some European countries, with diverse backgrounds and varied interests, is perhaps, for someone who came from the Patagonian Desert, a vision of an almost perfect oasis.

Also, as the oldest student in my cohort (I was forty-two on the first day of the course), another thing worth highlighting is the blessing bestowed by the convergence of maturity, purpose, willingness and an environment fertilely designed for both giving and receiving. Studying as an adult, returning to the daily routine of going to class, has been a rejuvenating and utterly joyful experience.

3. I would recommend it to anyone, to everyone, to all those who can.

Application period

The enrollment period for the 2026-2027 course at Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola began on February 1st and ends on the 28th. Enrollment can only be processed through the form available on this website.

The postgraduate in Film Curating Studies focuses on the large body of theoretical knowledge (partly inherited from the plastic arts) and explores different programming traditions and schools. In addition to the study and critical review of these movements, the course also encourages students to rethink the film distribution and access conditions and formulas in a new (and uncertain) turning point for the traditional exhibition model, which has been called into question by the rise of streaming platforms and the gradual disappearance of movie theatres.

In addition to cultivating each participant's unique criterion and outlook, the course also provides the tools necessary for the complete development of film projects, from initial conception to final execution. The specialist course also strives to encourage budding curators to engage in research work, to explore the worlds of film criticism and essay writing and to engage in various academic activities. 

One of the fundamental traits of this course is its constant professional and teaching contact with the institutions that support and generate it. Students can work on various curatorial projects, including those proposed by Tabakalera and the San Sebastián Festival.