<p>Jerez City Council and the University of Cádiz have presented the content and program for the second edition of the Maravíllame International University Short Film Showcase, which will take place on April 8, 9, and 10, 2025, in Jerez de la Frontera. The program includes a showcase of short films made by students from Spanish and international universities, an international short film competition, and talks and roundtables with industry professionals and various public and private stakeholders and institutions related to audiovisual culture. Driven and organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Communication at the University of California, Maravíllame’s main objectives are to promote culture as an asset for the advancement of the values that underpin the European construction, such as, most notably, sustainability and social development. Thus, in addition to facilitating the exchange of talent and knowledge between the academic and professional spheres, this year Maravíllame has aligned its content with the objectives of the Jerez 2031 European Capital of Culture bid.</p>
<p>After a first edition focused on the production of university short films throughout Ibero-America, the 2025 edition has opted for this international reach, but with a focus on the European continent. Participation has already been secured from universities in twenty European countries, including Germany, Italy, Ukraine, and Moldova, which have facilitated the submission of more than 200 short films to date.</p>
<p>This initiative is also the result of a collaborative effort involving more than 100 faculty and students from the Faculty of Communication Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, to consolidate a project that serves as an important meeting place for the exchange of ideas and the promotion of young talent. This competition seeks to foster values such as sustainability and social development. For this reason, the production company Ecocinema, associated with UNHCR, is among the collaborators of this second edition.</p>