The headquarters of the San Sebastián Festival (Ansa)

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20 September 2019With 17 films in competition for the Golden Shell, the 67th edition of the San Sebastián International Festival kicks off today. The jury is composed of Irish director and producer Neil Jordan (president), Mexican producer Pablo Cruz, Swedish director Lisabi Fridell, director of photography, Spanish actress Bárbara Lennie, Argentinian actress Mercedes Morán and 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") and 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, 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 he is in the running "Thalasso" , by Guillaume Nicloux, with the "strange couple" formed by Gérard Depardieu and the 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 directors, 6 out of 17, including the Polish Małgorzata Szumowska - already Silver Bear in Berlin 2018 for "Twarz (Mug)" - with "The other lamb" , the French Alice Winocour with "Proxima" , played by Eva Green and Matt Dillon, and the Canadian Louise Archambault with "Il pleuvait des oiseaux" , from the novel of the same name by Jocelyne Saucier.

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.