The 73rd edition of the **San Sebastian Film Festival** has announced its main competition lineup, featuring notable films from esteemed directors **Edward Berger**, **Claire Denis**, and **James Vanderbilt**. The festival, which is the largest film event in the Spanish-speaking world, will take place from **September 19 to 27, 2023**. Among the films vying for the coveted **Golden Shell**, the festival revealed a diverse selection, including works from **Dolores Fonzi**, **Joachim Lafosse**, **Olmo Omerzu**, and **Xiaoyu Qin**.
Highlighted Films in Competition
**Edward Berger’s** “Ballad of a Small Player” leads the lineup. Following his success with “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which garnered four Academy Awards, Berger adapts **Lawrence Osborne’s** novel set in **Macau**. The film stars **Colin Farrell** as a gambler struggling with a losing streak, alongside **Tilda Swinton** and **Fala Chen**.
**Claire Denis**, a familiar face at San Sebastian, presents “The Fence” (“Le cri des gardes”), which explores themes of colonial violence and survival. This adaptation of a play by **Bernard-Marie Koltès** features performances by **Isaach de Bankolé**, **Matt Dillon**, and **Mia McKenna-Bruce**. Denis previously won the **Fipresci Prize** at San Sebastian for her film “High Life” and earned a **Berlin Silver Bear** with “Both Sides of the Blade” in 2022.
**Dolores Fonzi** returns with her sophomore feature, “Belén,” a poignant narrative about a young woman imprisoned in **Tucumán** following a miscarriage. The film highlights crucial issues surrounding reproductive rights and injustice. Fonzi stars alongside **Camila Plaate** and **Laura Paredes**, marking her return to the festival after presenting “Blondi” in 2023.
Also featured is **Joachim Lafosse’s** “Six Days in Spring” (“Six jours ce printemps-là”), a family drama set against the backdrop of the **French Riviera**. Lafosse has previously won the **Silver Shell** for best director at the festival for “The White Knights” in 2015.
**Olmo Omerzu** presents “Ungrateful Beings,” which delves into generational conflict during a family vacation. Omerzu has previously participated in San Sebastian’s New Directors sidebar and won accolades for his film “Winter Flies” in 2018.
**Xiaoyu Qin** makes his fiction debut with “Her Heart Beats in Its Cage” (“Jianyu Laide Mama”), a drama about a woman reuniting with her son after serving ten years in prison for killing her husband. Qin received the best documentary award at the **Shanghai Festival** for his earlier work, “The Verse of Us.”
**James Vanderbilt’s** “Nuremberg” features **Rami Malek** as real-life psychiatrist **Douglas Kelley**, who assessed 22 Nazi war criminals before the Nuremberg Trials. The film adapts **Jack El-Hai’s** book “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist,” with **Russell Crowe** portraying **Hermann Göring**.
Special Screenings to Enrich the Festival
In addition to the competitive titles, the festival will feature special screenings out of competition. **Juliette Binoche**’s documentary “In-I in Motion” revisits her acclaimed collaboration with choreographer **Akram Khan**, reflecting on their 2007 stage production. Binoche, an Academy Award winner for her role in “The English Patient,” also received the **Donostia Award** for career achievement at San Sebastian in 2022.
The Japanese film “Climbing for Life” (“Teppen no mukou ni anata ga iru”) by **Junji Sakamoto** tells the story of **Junko Tabei**, the first woman to conquer **Mount Everest**. Sakamoto’s previous work “Face” won a best director prize from the **Japanese Academy** after competing in the festival’s Official Selection.
This year’s **San Sebastian Film Festival** promises to celebrate a rich tapestry of narratives and cinematic artistry, showcasing both established filmmakers and emerging voices from around the globe. As the festival prepares to commence, anticipation builds around the diverse offerings and the potential impact on the international film landscape.
