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20 September 2019With 17 films competing for the Golden Shell, the 67th edition of the San Sebastián International Festival kicks off. The jury is composed of the Irish director and producer, Neil Jordan (president), the Mexican producer Pablo Cruz, the Swedish Lisabi Fridell, director of photography, the Spanish actress Bárbara Lennie, the Argentine actress Mercedes Morán and the Israeli producer Katriel Schory.There are six prizes to be awarded: in addition to the Golden Shell for the best film, the silver shells for the director, the actress and the actor will be awarded, as well as the jury prizes for the screenplay and photography.
The American "Blackbird" opens the competition, directed by Roger Michell ("Notting Hill"), starring Susan Sarandon and Kate Winslet. The film, a remake of the Danish "Silent Heart" by Bille August, deals with the theme of end of life. Among the other feature films in competition, the Spanish "Mientras dure la guerra", by Alejandro Amenábar (Oscar in 2005 for "Mare dentro") stands out, with the figure of the writer Miguel de Unamuno in front of the drama of the civil war.
Two years after winning the Golden Shell with "The Disaster Artist", American director James Franco is back in the running in San Sebastián with "Zeroville", from the novel by Steve Erickson, while for France is in competition "Thalasso", by Guillaume Nicloux, with Gérard Depardieu and writer Michel Houellebecq.
Co-produced by the American Darren Aronofsky, it beats the Brazilian flag "Pacificado", set in the favelas of Rio and directed by Paxton Winters. The presence of filmmakers, 6 out of 17, including the Polish Małgorzata Szumowska - formerly Silver Bear in Berlin 2018 for "Twarz (Mug)" - with "The other lamb" - is stiff.
For the complete list of films see the Festival website.
The program also includes numerous other sections, including the competitive "New Directors" for emerging directors and "Horizontes latinos" for Latin American productions. Career awards to actress Penélope Cruz, director Costa Gavras and actor Donald Sutherland.
The review will end on Saturday 28 September.