One of the year’s most eagerly awaited events is approaching: the San Sebastian Festival, where Basque cinema will once again demonstrate its strength with a prominent presence that confirms the sector’s remarkable creative moment.

Official Selection

In the Official Selection, three productions will compete for the Golden Shell. Directors Jose Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi return with ‘Maspalomas’ (Irusoin, Moriarti Produkzioak, Maspalomas Pelikula AIE), the story of Vicente, a 77-year-old man who, after an accident, is forced to return to Donostia and confront his family past. Meanwhile, Alberto Rodríguez will present ‘Los Tigres’ (Kowalski Films, Mazagón Films, Feelgood Media, Movistar Plus+, Le Pacte), a drama about two diver brothers whose lives are shaken after a serious workplace accident. Also joining the competition is Biscayan filmmaker Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, who, following the success of ‘Cinco Lobitos’ and ‘Querer’, returns with ‘Sundays’ (Sayaka Producciones, Buena Pinta Media, Colosé Producciones, Encanta Films, Think Studio, Los Desencuentro Película and Telefónica Audiovisual Digital), a story centred on Ainara, a 17-year-old girl contemplating entering a cloistered convent.

Out of competition, the Official Selection will include special screenings such as ‘Karmele’ (Txintxua Films), by Asier Altuna Iza, an adaptation of Kirmen Uribe’s novel Elkarrekin esnatzeko ordua; and the series ‘Zeru ahoak’, by Koldo Almandoz (Txintxua Films, Garabi Films), which continues the universe established in Hondar ahoak. Also featured in this section is ‘Un fantasma en la batalla’, a feature film directed by Agustín Díaz Yanes, produced by Basoilarraren Filmak and inspired by the largest undercover operation against ETA.

In the New Directors section, ‘Aro Berria’ (Apellaniz y De Sosa, Señor y Señora, Anekumen Pelikula AIE), the debut feature by Irati Gorostidi, will be presented. The film is inspired by the workers’ struggles of the 1970s in Euskadi.

Meanwhile, within Horizontes Latinos, ‘The Mysterious Gaze Of The Flamingo’, by Diego Céspedes (Irusoin, Quijote Films, Les Valseurs, Weydemann Bros Films, Wrong Men), will be screened after winning Best Film in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and receiving the Sebastiane Latino Award from Gehitu.

Zabaltegi – Tabakalera, the space dedicated to innovative proposals, will feature ‘El último arrebato’ (On Time, Apache Films, 39 Escalones Films), by Marta Medina and Enrique López Lavigne, which will later travel to the Sitges Film Festival, as well as ‘Variations’, by Lur Olaizola Lizarralde (Banquete Films). Finally, in Culinary Zinema, Jon Arregui will premiere ‘Tetsu, Txispa, Hoshi’ (Digytal Audiovisuales).

Zinemira

Once again, the Festival will dedicate a special space to local talent with Zinemira, organised in collaboration with the Department of Culture of the Basque Government, sponsored by Irizar and EITB, and with the support of the Basque Film Archive, EPE-IBAIA and Zineuskadi. This year’s line-up will include: ‘Lurdes Iriondo, ez gera alferrik pasako’, by Inge Mendioroz Ibañez (Maluta Films, Behirada); ‘Eloy de la Iglesia, Film Addict’, by Gaizka Urresti (Altube Filmeak); ‘Human Cannonball’, by Anuska Ariztimuño (Baleuko); ‘Ashes’, by Oier Plaza Gartzia (FMK Filmak Media, i/o post, Babel Doc); ‘Natura fugit’, by Jesus Mari Lazkano (Dibulitoon Studio, Art Frame); ‘Gregorio Ordoñez, The Assassination That Awakened The Rebellion Against ETA’, by Arantxa Aldaz, Javier Roldán and David Taberna (El Diario Vasco); ‘The Shadow Of The Ombú’, by Patxi Bisquert (Eguzki Art Zinema); ‘Pheasant Island’, by Asier Urbieta (Galatea Films, La Tentación Producciones, Arcadia Motion Pictures and La Fidèle Production); ‘Jone, batzuetan’, by Sara Fantova (Amania Films, ESCAC Estudios); ‘Itoiz summer sessions’, by Larraitz Zuazo, Ainhoa Andraka and Zuri Goikoetxea (Doxa Producciones); ‘Breaking Walls’, by Borja Cobeaga (Sayaka Producciones, Inicia Films, Bteam Prods, Despadres AIE) and ‘Daniela Forever’, by Nacho Vigalondo (Sayaka Producciones, Señor y Señora, Wrong Men).

In the Made in Spain section, five Basque productions will be presented: ‘White Roses, Fall!’, by Albertina Carri (Doxa Producciones, Gentil Cine, El Borde, Sancho & Punta), following its screening at Rotterdam; ‘8’, by Julio Medem (Morena Films, Eidan Produce, Barbazul La Película, Quexito Films), arriving in Donostia after winning the Audience Award in Málaga; ‘Undercover’, by Arantxa Echevarría (Bowfinger International Pictures, Beta Fiction Spain), which has already enjoyed a long run both in festivals and cinemas;  ‘The Story Of Us’, by Helena Taberna (Lamia Producciones, Vértigo Films, Nosotros la película AIE), and ‘Queen Of Coal’, a feature film directed by Agustina Macri (The Warning of Rivard, Morena Films, Pensa, Rocca). In addition, we will also have the participation of a Basque project in Nest section, featuring the short film ‘A solido dos lagartos’, by Inés Nunes (Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola).

Meanwhile, the Velodrome will once again be filled to capacity with the premiere of the twelfth season of ‘Go!azen’, accompanied by live music and, for the first time, a double screening. It will also host the EITB Gala, where ‘Euskal Herria Hegan’ (Leike Produkzioak), will premiere, with the episode Gipuzkoa Hegan, directed by Javi Gutiérrez and Lorea Pérez de Albéniz, offering a bird’s-eye journey across the territory. The RTVE Gala will also feature the screening of Miguel Ángel Vivas’ feature film ‘The Truce’ (Spassks99 AIE, Amanat Capital LTD y Umaifilm). In addition, younger audiences will also have the chance to enjoy the Basque production ‘Heidi, katamotzaren erreskatea’, directed by Tobias Schwarz and Aizea Roca (Sumendi Uhartea, Heidi Production Film AIE, 3Doubles Producciones, Studio 100 Media and Hotel Hungaria), which will be screened as part of the children’s film programme.

This year, the Klasikoak section will feature the restoration of four Basque medium-length films: ‘Hamaseigarrenean aidanez’ (Anjel Lertxundi, 1985), ‘Ehun metro’ (Alfonso Ungría, 1985), ‘Zergatik Panpox’ (Xabier Elorriaga, 1985) and ‘Oraingoz izen gabe’ (José Julián Bakedano, 1986).

Finally, at Zineuskadi and Basque Audiovisual, we wish to celebrate the outstanding quality of our cinema and highlight that projects such as Los aitas, Los tigres, Maspalomas, Nosotros, and Un fantasma en la batalla are in the running to be selected to represent Spain as Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards.