The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki, Custody, Happening, As I Open My Eyes, Butterfly Vision and, last year, The Girls from Above… The list of films awarded the Grand Prize at the Saint-Jean-de-Luz International Film Festival, which is dedicated to first and second fiction features, is nothing short of impressive. And the 13th edition of this event, which has managed to carve out a place for itself in the crowded autumn festival calendar thanks to the quality of its editorial line, look set to continue this tradition.

The selection put together by artistic director Patrick Fabre includes 10 features set to be screened in French premieres and judged by a jury chaired by Iranian actress Zar Amir (named Best Actress in Cannes in 2022 and due to deliver a masterclass), who’ll be joined by producer Pauline Seigland, director Frédéric Farrucci and actor-filmmakers Enya Baroux and Nicolas Maury.

Works in the running for the trophy include two Spanish films - The Good Daughter by Júlia de Paz (which triumphed in Tallinn with Best Film, Best Actress and the Audience Award) and North to Paradise by Dani Sancho - as well as two German debut feature films discovered in the Berlinale’s Panorama section: Allegro Pastell by Anna Roller and I Understand Your Displeasure by Kilian Armando Friedrich.

Also vying for the Grand Prix are the Franco-Belgian co-productions Beaux Seigneurs by Maxime Roy (read our article – due for release in France on 3 February 2027) and Chercheurs by Aurélien Peilloux (article), alongside Fief by Thomas Vernay (toplined by Sayyid El Alami and adapted from David Lopez’s eponymous novel) and The Green Eyes by Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh (unveiled on Locarno’s Piazza Grande and due for release in French cinemas on 11 November). The competition will be rounded off by the Israeli-French co-production Tell Me Everything by Moshe Rosenthal (premiered in Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic competition) and Kaïros by Canadian filmmaker Jennifer Alleyn.

Out of competition, highlights include All About Corinne by Marc Fitoussi, which will open the festival and is continuing a busy festival tour which kicked off in Locarno and passed through Toronto; Le Faux Soir by Belgian Michaël R. Roskam (which was just unveiled in Toronto and will be the closing film in San Sebastián); Diane in the Loop by Belgians Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni (crowned Best Film in Venice’s Orizzonti competition); the world premiere of Gilles United by Grégoire Ludig (read our article), Flesh and Fuel by Pierre Le Gall (well received in Cannes’ Critics’ Week), animated movie Viva Carmen by Sébastien Laudenbach (likewise unveiled on the Croisette, in the Directors’ Fortnight), That’s All Folks by Gustave Kervern (awarded the 2026 Jean Vigo Prize and the Diamond Valois in Angoulême), Les princes by Antoine Giorgini (article), En haut de la pile by Louis-Julien Petit and Malika by Mounia Meddour. Last but not least, the festival has also organised a competition for 10 first and second fiction shorts, as well as the Cinéma d’Ici programme shining a light on six works shot in the local area.