How Fribourg Became a Window on the Global South, Including Hot Spots Like Lebanon and Iran: ‘For Many Directors, Filming Is a Matter of Survival’

As it marks its 40th edition, the Fribourg Intl. Film Festival remains one of Europe’s key showcases for films from the Global South, a region artistic director Thierry Jobin says continues to define the event’s identity and relevance.

Running March 20–29, the festival will screen 114 films from 62 countries, including 58 premieres. Jobin, who’s led Fiff since 2011, says the anniversary edition reflects a balance between discovery and urgency. “We show films that had to be made, often in places where that’s still an act of courage,” he tells Variety.

Leon Le’s Vietnam War-set film ”Ky Nam Inn” Courtesy of Fribourg Intl. Film Festival

Founded in 1980 by Ngo administrator Magda Bossy, Fiff began as the Festival of Third World Film, created to highlight cinema from Africa, Asia and Latin America. The title was later changed in the 1990s after conversations with participating filmmakers, with the festival maintaining its original…