A story to begin with: Zarafa was the first giraffe that set hoof in France, in 1826, because it was sent as a gift from the Pasha of Egypt to the King of France Charles X. The animation film will be released tomorrow in cinemas but tonight, the rooms of the Cinéma des cinéastes will be full of viewers as it is the opening film of the 29th Fife. One of the filmmakers, Rémi Bezançon, said he intended to show the giraffe's journey and the mistakes that man makes when he tries to capture nature. "The farther Zarafa travels up the Rhone River, the more people follow her. Through this journey, one can see how stupid man can be and eventually, how zoos can be dradful places, in which animals live in bad conditions." 

After the film, other stories from all around the world begin: 115 other films, coming from 34 countries, have been selected. 58 of them are running for the official competition, which is divided into four categories (15 feature documentaries, 14 short-length documentaries, 7 fiction films and 22 short films).

The Fife will also be broadcast on its website via the Fife Replay. A special selection of 17 webdocumentaries and 17 digital films was made according to the themes of the festival. Through VOD (video on demand), you may find a part of the selection: 16 short films (among which two will be broadcast in the Eco-kids programme) as well as four feature documentaries.

Enjoy the festival!