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SAN SEBASTIÁN 2017 Awards

The Golden Shell goes to James Franco

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- SAN SEBASTIÁN 2017: The Basque festival’s top prize has been bestowed upon the US actor and filmmaker for his comedy The Disaster Artist, amidst a smattering of surprise and applause

The Golden Shell goes to James Franco
James Franco, with his Golden Shell for The Disaster Artist (© Festival de San Sebastián)

There were several surprises in store for those present at the closing ceremony of the 65th San Sebastián International Film Festival. The biggest shock was, without a doubt, the winner of the gathering’s top prize, as the Golden Shell went to The Disaster Artist, a film starring and directed by US superstar James Franco. Right from its first screening, the movie picked up kudos from audiences and critics alike, but some were caught off guard by the fact that it snagged the top spot in the winners’ list. While, admittedly, Cannes crowned The Square [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ruben Östlund
film profile
]
 this year, it is unusual for a comedy (as dark as it may be) to win by such a wide margin, as drama always tends to be valued more highly in the jury’s verdicts.

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The award also prompted astonishment because many were left wondering whether a film like this, which has already been supported by Hollywood (it is being distributed by Warner Bros), truly needs the endorsement of the Spanish festival. In any case, the jury’s verdict has to be respected, and it is a bonus that the winning movie will manage to draw in plenty of viewers.

The majority of the rest of the awards went to South America, the new mecca of global film talent: the Argentinian title A Sort of Family [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 (a co-production with Brazil, France, Poland, Germany and Denmark) was awarded for its screenplay, Chile’s Los perros [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 (co-produced with Argentina, France, Portugal and Germany) came out on top in Horizontes Latinos, and another Argentinian movie, Alanis, scooped the Silver Shells for Best Actress and Best Director.

Europe managed to scrape the Awards for Best Cinematography, for the German-French-Polish co-production The Captain [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Robert Schwentke
film profile
]
, and Best Actor, for the ever-magnificent Romanian actor Bogdan Dumitrache in Pororoca [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Constantin Popescu
film profile
]
; meanwhile, the great Basque hope at the gathering, Giant [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño
film profile
]
, bagged the Special Prize from the jury chaired by John Malkovich.

Many members of the press noted the conspicuous absence of titles such as Spain’s The Motive [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Manuel Martín Cuenca
film profile
]
Life and Nothing More [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antonio Méndez Esparza
film profile
]
 and particularly The Lion Sleeps Tonight [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, an arthouse co-production between Japan and France starring the irrepressible Jean-Pierre Léaud, on the winners’ list.

Here is the complete list of winners at San Sebastián 2017:

Official Section

Golden Shell for Best Film
The Disaster Artist – James Franco (USA)

Special Jury Prize
Giant [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño
film profile
]
 – Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño (Spain)

Silver Shell for Best Director 
Anahí Berneri – Alanis (Argentina)

Silver Shell for Best Actress 
Sofía Gala Castiglione - Alanis (Argentina)
Special Mention 
Anne Gruwez – So Help Me God [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jean Libon and Yves Hinant
film profile
]
 (France/Belgium)

Silver Shell for Best Actor
Bogdan Dumitrache - Pororoca [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Constantin Popescu
film profile
]
 (Romania/France)

Jury Prize for Best Screenplay 
A Sort of Family [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 – Diego Lerman and María Meira (Argentina)

Special Jury Prize for Best Cinematography 
Florian Ballhaus - The Captain [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Robert Schwentke
film profile
]
 (Germany/France/Poland)

Other official awards

Kutxabank-New Directors Award
The Sower [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anamaria Vartolomei
interview: Marine Francen
film profile
]
 – Marine Francen (France)
Special Mention
 
Killing Jesus – Laura Mora (Colombia/Argentina)

Horizontes Latinos Award
Los perros [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 – Marcela Said (Chile/France)

Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Award
Braguino – Clément Cogitore (France) (medium-length film)
Special Mention 
Darya Zhovner (actress) – Closeness [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 (Russia)
Spell Reel [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 – Filipa César (France)

City of Donostia Audience Award 
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 – Martin McDonagh (UK)

City of Donostia Audience Award for a European Film 
Custody [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Xavier Legrand
film profile
]
 – Xavier Legrand (France)

Irizar Award for Basque Cinema 
Giant – Jon Garaño and Aitor Arregi

Eroski Youth Award
Killing Jesus – Laura Mora

TVE Another Look Award 
Custody – Xavier Legrand

Main parallel prizes

FIPRESCI Award
Life and Nothing More [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antonio Méndez Esparza
film profile
]
 - Antonio Méndez Esparza (Spain/US)

Fedeora Award
The Charmer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ardalan Esmaili
interview: Milad Alami
film profile
]
 - Milad Alami (Denmark/Sweden/France)
Matar a Jesús - Laura Mora
Special Mention
Underground - Daniel Palacio (Philippines)

SIGNIS Award
Life and Nothing More - Antonio Méndez Esparza
Special Mention
Ni juge, ni soumise - Jean Libon, Yves Hinant
Special Award 60 years
Matar a Jesús - Laura Mora

Feroz Award
The Disaster Artist - James Franco

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(Translated from Spanish)

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