Pamplona becomes the gravitational centre of international documentary film for seven days every year. Productions from all around the world compete in their different formats, capturing reality from a different point of view: that of independent and socially necessary expression. The Official Selection is thus open to a wide range of contemporary non-fiction film registers and styles. Punto de Vista is one of the first events on the film industry's calendar, picking the best of the previous season and planting the seeds of the most interesting future trends.
The current edition, 1,378 films have been submitted, of which the festival selects a maximum of twenty to take part in the competition. The spirit of the competition is clear: the competing filmmakers must try with each film to steer away from the well trodden paths and do it with a clear ethical commitment. From there on, they have total freedom in content and form. The Jury is to assess films for quality, originality and, above all, their capacity to "open our eyes and help us see beyond appearances," in Jean Vigo's words.