Beginning triumphs at San Sebastián with four awards
- The co-production between Georgia and France, directed by newcomer Dea Kulumbegashvili, scooped the Golden Shell for Best Film as well as the awards for best director, best actress and best screenplay
The 68th San Sebastián International Film Festival drew to a close on Saturday 26 September with the customary awards ceremony. The evening’s hands-down winner was Beginning [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dea Kulumbegashvili
film profile] (France/Georgia), the directorial début of Dea Kulumbegashvili, which scooped the Golden Shell for Best Film plus the awards for best director, best actress (for Ia Sukhitashvili) and best screenplay. The Special Jury Prize went to one of the clutch of documentaries selected for this year’s official competition: Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan [+see also:
film review
interview: Julien Temple
film profile] (United Kingdom), directed by Julien Temple. A portrait of the lead singer of The Pogues, it was produced by Johnny Depp, who dropped into town to promote the film.
Among the other films to win over this year’s jury, headed up by Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, was Another Round [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands), directed by Thomas Vinterberg. Unusually, its ensemble cast — Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang and Lars Ranthe — share the honour of the Silver Conch for Best Actor.
It was a fantastic night for European cinema all round: in particular, the festival's president, Belén Funes, and the entire jury of the New Directors section were bowled over by Last Days of Spring [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabel Lamberti
film profile], the first fiction film from erstwhile documentarian Isabel Lamberti. In the Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Section, the platform of choice for bold, innovative and experimental films, it was Portuguese production The Metamorphosis of Birds [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Catarina Vasconcelos
film profile], directed by Catarina Vasconcelos that carried the day. Meanwhile, in the Latin Horizons section, the jury singled out Identifying Features [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], a co-production between Spain and Mexico directed by Fernanda Valadez, with a special mention for One in a Thousand [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Clarisa Navas (Argentina/Germany).
Inevitably, this year’s festival will be remembered for the rigorous health and hygiene measures scrupulously observed at every event and screening to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Only one incident was recorded, when Eugène Green — during a post-screening public discussion of his film Atabarri & Mikelats [+see also:
trailer
film profile] held in the Príncipe de San Sebastián cinema as part of the Zinemira section — repeatedly refused to don a mask. In response, the festival management took the decision to eject him from the premises. All other attendees, both audiences and industry professionals (journalists, artists, management staff) worked hard to ensure that all screening spaces were as safe and hygienic as possible.
The full list of winners:
Competition
Golden Shell for Best Film
Beginning [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dea Kulumbegashvili
film profile] – Dea Kulumbegashvili (Georgia/France)
Special Jury Prize
Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan [+see also:
film review
interview: Julien Temple
film profile] – Julien Temple (United Kingdom)
Silver Shell for Best Director
Dea Kulumbegashvili – Beginning
Silver Shell for Best Actress
Ia Sukhitashvili – Beginning
Silver Shell for Best Actor
Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang and Lars Ranthe – Another Round [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands)
Jury Prize for Best Screenplay
Dea Kulumbegashvili and Rati Oneli – Beginning
Jury Prize for Best Cinematography
Yuta Tsukinaga – Any Crybabies Around? (Japan)
New Directors
New Directors Award
Last Days of Spring [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabel Lamberti
film profile] – Isabel Lamberti (Spain)
Special Mention
Slow Singing – Dong Xingyi (China)
Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Section
Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Award
The Metamorphosis of Birds [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Catarina Vasconcelos
film profile] – Catarina Vasconcelos (Portugal)
Special Mention
The Woman Who Ran – Hong Sang-soo (South Korea)
Latin Horizons Section
Latin Horizons Award
Identifying Features [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Fernanda Valadez (Mexico/Spain)
Special Mention
One in a Thousand [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Clarisa Navas (Argentina/Germany)
Other Awards
RTVE Another Look Award
Never Rarely Sometimes Always [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Eliza Hittman (USA/United Kingdom)
Special Mention
Gull – Kim Mi-Jo (South Korea)
Spanish Cooperation Award
Identifying Features – Fernanda Valadez
City of Donostia/San Sebastián Audience Award
The Father [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Florian Zeller
film profile] – Florian Zeller (United Kingdom/France)
Audience Award – Best European Film
The Mole Agent [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maite Alberdi
film profile] – Maite Alberdi (Chile/USA/Germany/Spain/Netherlands)
Irizar Basque Film Award
Ane is Missing [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: David Pérez Sañudo
film profile] – David Pérez Sañudo (Spain)
Special Mention
Where is Mikel? – Amaia Merino and Miguel Ángel Llamas (Spain)
TCM Youth Award
Limbo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ben Sharrock
film profile] – Ben Sharrock (United Kingdom)
(Translated from Spanish)
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