"EQZE offers an eloquent, necessary perspective that is hard to find in film education institutions"

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?

AMINA FERLEY YAEL

1. My work comprises research into and the recovery of films made by the C3M Collective - Cinema del Terzo Mondo. This militant film group was active in Rome in the early 1970s and expressed international anti-imperialist solidarity through their audiovisual works and practice. in order to put them into circulation. The two films are Palestina, Another Vietnam, which has already been digitised, and Bolivia: el tiempo de los generales, which has been the object of a basic digital restoration from a 16mm copy.

2. The year—and a bit—I spent in Donostia-San Sebastián and at the EQZE was a very special time for me. I learned so much! More than I could ever have imagined. I developed an outlook on film preservation that deeply moves me, and I look forward to having great archival adventures with my new colleagues. The friendships I made at the school have become incredibly important in my life. I feel so fortunate to have met these people and to have spent this time with them.

3. I believe the EQZE offers an eloquent, necessary perspective that is hard to find in film education institutions. I believe the Film Preservation course is ideal for anyone curious not only about the materiality of film, but also about how, how much, what, when and why we produce audiovisual material as a society, and what we can do to keep film and archives alive, evolving and safe.

EVELYN RUIZ GÓMEZ

1. ‘Archive, breath and action’ is a project in which I explore different possible ways of preserving and activating a small university audiovisual archive, taking into account the problems inherent to this context and focusing on exploring and recording the affective relationships that are generated among archivers and the impact this has on the present and future life of an archive within a community.

2. The whole experience was incredibly stimulating, a period in which I learned, reflected and developed ideas through collaboration and exchange—a practice I will always keep in mind in my personal and professional life. The support I received, not only from my teachers but from my fellow students on the various courses too, was definitely the most enriching aspect, as it helped me view film and archives from diverse perspectives. Furthermore, the technical and theoretical knowledge provided by the Film Preservation course really helped me to explore new career paths and acquire the tools and skills necessary for managing archival projects.

3. I would recommend the EQZE to people who are looking to share and learn about projects linked to culture and film, and who are interested in nurturing and experimenting with their processes in a flexible and diverse atmosphere based on support and networking.

JORGE FERNÁNDEZ JARAMILLO

1. The Archivo de la Imagen of the Costa Rican Centre for Film and Audiovisual Arts preserves numerous original and intermediate elements of works produced by the Film Department during the 1970s and 1980s, many of which follow a similar production model. The main aim of my project was to take advantage of this level of preservation and material homogeneity, which offers a unique opportunity to study this period of Costa Rican cinema in depth. La voz prolongada proposes a methodology for approaching the restoration of a state-run cinema that, under the motto ‘Giving voice to those who have none’, financed and promoted its own self-criticism. The project is based on a case study: the digital restoration of the documentary A propósito de la mujer (1975), directed by María de los Ángeles ‘Kitico’ Moreno—actress, dancer and founder of the Film Department—who also appears in fictionalised scenes within the documentary itself.

2. To answer these questions, I felt the need to revisit my notes, the sounds, photographs and memories of my time in class, in Donostia-San Sebastián and in the film industry. Undoubtedly, in addition to the technical and theoretical depth reached in each degree course, I believe that the EQZE's learning model is built upon experience and constant exchange with classmates, teachers and tutors. The school not only offers content, but also a vibrant space in which ideas are constantly questioned and discussed.

As you study your chosen subjects, you also undergo a true life-changing experience through your interactions with your fellow students, coming into contact with diverse perspectives on cinema, shaped by experiences from different parts of the world. For me, this exchange is one of the greatest added values offered by the EQZE, as an institution that fosters critical thinking. Coming from a background in film preservation, I feel that after my time at the school I am now a professional who not only possesses the technical skills to work with historical or contemporary materials, but also understands their material and symbolic value, and can interpret their intervention from an ethical and critical perspective.

3.I would recommend the EQZE to anyone who wants to think about cinema critically, sensitively and with commitment, through both practice and reflection. It is an especially enriching place for those who not only seek to develop their own artistic pathway but also to learn from dialogue with other disciplines, in a place where the boundaries between Filmmaking, Film Curating and Film Preservation dissolve almost altogether through collaboration on shared projects.

Furthermore, the EQZE is an ideal space for learning how to share ideas and build collective criteria. Here, skills that are an absolute must for anyone hoping to work in the film industry are fostered and integrated, skills such as active listening, teamwork and conscious time management, all aspects that are just as important as technical or theoretical knowledge.

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 Preservation Studies forces students to confront the (theoretical, technical and ethical) dilemmas generated by film as part of our tangible and intangible heritage. In addition to addressing all aspects linked to identifying images and sounds in photochemical, magnetic and digital format, the course also deals with the tools required for managing existing collections and creating new ones.

It introduces students to audiovisual material review, preservation and restoration protocols and procedures, through both mechanical and digital tools, enabling them to gain real practical experience in the lab.

The Film Preservation Studies course is in constant dialogue with the work carried out by the Basque Film Archive, which enables students to experience first-hand what it is like to work in an FIAF-approved film archive.