San Sebastian attracts 21 Spanish films
- Manuel Martín Cuenca, David Trueba and Fernando Franco will compete for the Golden Shell
An unexpected obstacle has been added to the many woes Spanish cinema has been facing the last few months: the indifference of the great European film festivals (Cannes, Berlin and Venice). The International Festival of San Sebastian, which will be in its 61st edition on September 20-28, however has stepped up to the plate, resuming its role as a window into Spanish cinema. Of the 21 Spanish films screened during the various facets of the festival, 13 are major participants.
The official section will welcome five Spanish films, one of which is out of competition: Álex de la Iglesia’s latest work, Las brujas de Zugarramurdi, a delirious and frenetic comedy announced as a return to original form for the Basque director (read the news story).
The Golden Shell candidates will include Caníbal by Manuel Martín Cuenca, a coproduction between Spain, Romania, Russia and France by Mod Producciones (read the news story). The Malaga based actor Antonio de la Torre plays the role of a well-known tailor from Granada who is also a mysterious assassin. Before coming to San Sebastian, the film will be presented in its global premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Completing the Spanish contingent in the official selection, Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados by David Trueba (read the news story), La herida, a film debut by Fernando Franco, and coproduction with Canada Enemigo by Denis Villeneuve starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
The San Sebastian velodrome will be the setting for the most awaited family film of the season: Zipi y Zape y el Club de la Canica by Óskar Santos, another Mod Producciones production based on the popular cartoon published from 1948 through the beginning of the 2000s (read the news story).
The Nuev@s Director@s section will include three Spanish co-productions: El árbol magnético (Spain, Chile) by Isabel Ayguavives, Las horas muertas (Mexico, France, Spain) by Aarón Fernández, and El rayo (Spain, Portugal) by Fran Araujo and Ernesto de Nova Roldán.
The rest of the Spanish films can be found in the Latin Horizons, Pearls and Zabaltegui sections.
For more information on these films and more, visit the festival’s official website.
(Translated from Spanish)
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