San Sebastian Film Festival, the most anticipated event
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In just a few days begins the most important appointment of the Spanish film scene: the International Film Festival of San Sebastian.
The most important film festivals within the Spanish-speaking area and one of the most famous of Europe is the most international event in San Sebastian. Celebrated since 1953, the festival brought to the capital of Guipuzcoa actors, actresses, directors and a long list of celebrities from the film industry giving the city an international atmosphere without losing its European accent. Since its beginning till the ’70s San Sebastian Film Festival experienced an explosion of glamour, luring European and Hollywood stars who could be seen walking through the streets of San Sebastián. Personalities such as Alfred Hitchcock, Elizabeth Taylor, Orson Welles, Federico Fellini, Audrey Hepburn, Kirk Douglas, Fritz Lang, Eva Marie Saint, Anthony Mann, King Vidor, Gloria Swanson, Luis Buñuel or Anouk Aimée are an example of that golden era. Those were glamorous years in which Spain still living under a dictatorship wanted to appear as an open country and be appealing to potential investors and enterprises at the same time that the Spanish film industry was getting promotion.
By the mid-70s, there were great changes both in Spain and in the rest of the world and the star system was already a thing of the past. Back then, the Film Festival started leaning towards a more committed cinema keeping it until nowadays with unofficial programs and awards for films closer to the social reality lived in different parts of the world.
Screenings of the Official Selection took place at the Victoria Eugenia theater, a magnificent building for quite an event. It is in 1999 when this traditional theater is replaced by the Kursaal designed by world renowned architect Rafael Moneo. The Kursaal, a modern building with clean lines makes a difference with classical San Sebastian. While at first the festival was not that popular among locals over the years this festival has reached a great success and nowadays San Sebastian Film Festival is the festival with greater public acceptance from all the festivals of its kind.
The festival has 7 sections with films competing, among which is the Official Selection. Films of the Official Selection are the ones competing for Official Awards. These are: the Golden Shell for Best Film, the Silver Shell for Best Director, the Silver Shell for Best Actor, Best Actress, the Jury Prize for Best Picture and the Jury Prize for Best Screenplay.
In 1986 the Festival included the Donostia Award to recognise the work and career of personalities from the film industry. Some of the awarded are: Gregory Peck, Vittorio Gassman, Bette Davis, Catherine Deneuve, Al Pacino, Jeanne Moreau, Fernando Fernán-Gómez, Michael Caine, Jessica Lange, Woody Allen, Willem Dafoe, Max von Sydow, Liv Ullman, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor, Carmen Maura.
Whether you’re a cinephile or you just want to stumble across movie stars, do not hesitate, San Sebastian is your place. Come to San Sebastian and stay with us at the Green Nest, the best place to stay in town.
The 62nd edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival will take place from 19 to 27 September 2014
*Photos for this post were taken from the festival official website