07/08/2014 - Bille August, Mia Hansen-Løve, François Ozon, Christian Petzold and Michael Sturminger compete in the Official Section of the 62nd edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival

After announcing a few weeks ago the Spanish-produced movies that will participate in its 62nd edition, to be held from 19 to 27 September (news), the San Sebastian International Film Festival has announced seven new members in its Official Section in competition, which will be filled next week.

European and French production in particular are playing a leading role in this respect, since five of the films announced were created on the Old Continent (and three of them in France). 

French director François Ozon returns to the San Sebastian competition after winning the Golden Shell two years ago with his famous work In the House [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. His new film, entitled The New Girlfriend [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: François Ozon
film profile], tells the story of two women, childhood friends. They both get married and one has a baby. Shortly afterwards, the mother becomes seriously ill and she makes her friend promise that she will care for the baby and for her husband.

Another distinguished name is that of Danish director Bille August, Oscar winner and winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes, who will present his intimate drama Silent Heart [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. In it, three generations of a family meet one weekend to assist in the mother’s suicide; the mother is terminally ill and wishes to end her life before her condition gets any worse. 

German Christian Petzold, winner of the Silver Bear for best direction in the Berlin Festival in 2012 with Barbara [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Christian Petzold
film profile], presents his new movie Phoenix [+see also:
film review
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making of
interview: Christian Petzold
film profile] in the San Sebastian Official Selection. Once again the film stars Nina Hoss, who plays the part of a singer whose face has been disfigured in a concentration camp and who asks a renowned surgeon to reconstruct it and to make it as similar as possible to how it was before. 

Eden [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Charles Gillibert
interview: Mia Hansen-Løve
film profile] is the new opus from Parisian director Mia Hansen-Løve that recreates the era of the French house. In the nineties, while electronic music is developing at a rapid pace, Paul is starting out as a DJ in the exciting nightlife of the French capital. 

European representation is completed with Casanova Variations [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]; a co-production between France, Austria and Germany directed by Michael Sturminger based on the novel The story of my life, from Giacomo Casanova. This biography of the greatest seducer of all times stars John Malkovich.

(Translated from Spanish)