14/07/2023 - 14 titles, also including a new series by "Los Javis" and another one on C Tangana, will represent Spain at the 71st edition of the Basque festival

This morning, at the Madrid headquarters of the Spanish Film Academy, one of the most eagerly awaited events of the San Sebastián International Film Festival took place: the presentation of Spanish films to be screened at its 71st edition, to be held from 22-30 September. Fourteen Spanish productions will feature in the different sections of the festival, including new works by Isabel Coixet, Jaione Camborda and "Los Javis".

In the official section, competing for the Golden Shell, will be the eagerly awaited Un amor [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabel Coixet
film profile], the new film by Isabel Coixet (read the article), an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Sara Mesa, starring Laia Costa and Hovik Keuchkerian; The Rye Horn [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jaione Camborda
film profile], the second film from the Basque director Jaione Camborda, starring the Galician Janet Novás; and the debut feature by visual artist, producer and director Isabel Herguera, Sultana's Dream [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabel Herguera
film profile], an animated film based on the story by Rockeya Hossain.

Out of competition, but also in the official section, audiences will be able to see the new series by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo (popularly known as "Los Javis"), La Mesías [+see also:
series review
trailer
series profile], a family thriller whose cast includes renowned actresses such as Carmen Machi, Macarena García, Cecilia Roth, Lola Dueñas and Ana Rujas (read the article). The official section will also feature a special screening of a Spanish production, the animated film They Shot the Piano Player [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], where Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal team up once again in support of the Brazilian musician Tenório Jr (read the article). 

In the New Directors section, Javier Macipe's second film will be presented (after his debut Los inconvenientes de no ser Dios), La estrella azul [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Javier Macipe
film profile], an approach to the story of the Zaragozan musician Mauricio Aznar. The Zabaltegi-Tabakalera section will also feature debuts from Alberto Martín Menacho, Nights Gone By [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alberto Martín Menacho
film profile], which has already screened in Visions du Réel; the Vietnamese filmmaker An Pham Thien, Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], after winning the Caméra d’Or at the last Cannes Festival; and the new medium-length film from the Basque filmmaker Ion de Sosa (Androids Dream [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Mamántula. This section will also include the short film Contadores, by Irati Gorostidi, which was at the Critics' Week in Cannes.

Finally, El Velódromo, the festival's largest venue, will host the premieres of two series: Esta ambición desmedida, directed by Santos Bacana, Cris Trenas and Rogelio González, which explores the creative process of the artist C. Tangana as part of the “Sin Cantar ni Afinar” tour; and El otro lado [+see also:
series review
trailer
series profile], a new original series for Movistar Plus+ where Berto Romero (creator and star) ventures for the first time into the horror genre, directed together with Alberto de Toro and Javier Ruiz Caldera.

The Spanish films announced today:

Competition

Un amor [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabel Coixet
film profile] – Isabel Coixet (Spain)
The Rye Horn [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jaione Camborda
film profile] – Jaione Camborda (Spain/Portugal/Belgium)
Sultana's Dream [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabel Herguera
film profile] – Isabel Herguera (Spain)

Out of competition

La Mesías [+see also:
series review
trailer
series profile] – Javier Ambrossi, Javier Calvo (Spain) (series)

Special Screenings

They Shot the Piano Player [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal (Spain/France)

New Directors

La estrella azul [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Javier Macipe
film profile] – Javier Macipe (Argentina/Spain)

Zabaltegi – Tabakalera

Nights Gone By [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alberto Martín Menacho
film profile] – Alberto Martín Menacho (Switzerland/Spain)
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – An Pham Thien (Vietnam/Singapore/France/Spain)
Mamántula – Ion de Sosa (Spain) (medium-length film)
Contadores - Irati Gorostidi (Spain) (short film)

Latin Horizons

The Castle [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Martín Benchimol
film profile] – Martín Benchimol (Argentina/France/Spain)
Blondi [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dolores Fonzi
film profile] – Dolores Fonzi (Argentina/United States/Spain)

Velodrome

Esa ambición desmedida - Santos Bacana, Cris Trenas, Rogelio González (Spain) (series)
El otro lado [+see also:
series review
trailer
series profile] – Berto Romero, Alberto de Toro, Javier Ruiz Caldera (Spain) (series)

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)