As the San Sebastian Festival wraps up, several intriguing titles are set for wider release. Audiences can anticipate 77 Model by Alberto Rodríguez and Rainbow by Paco León, both drawing attention for their bold takes and distinctive voices.
Beyond these Spanish projects, the lineup also features David Cronenberg’s latest, Crimes of the Future, alongside Don’t Worry Honey from Olivia Wilde. The latter, starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, sparked considerable debate during its festival run, underscoring the film’s polarizing reception. The era’s biggest blockbuster return also looms with Spider-Man’s latest big-screen comeback in theaters again.
Model 77 and a prison break
Model 77 stands out as one of the most awaited Spanish productions of the year. Alberto Rodríguez directs a drama inspired by a real incident from the late Franco era. During the Transition, a dramatic mass escape occurred when 48 inmates fled Modelo Prison in Barcelona in 1978.
At its recent festival screening, the film follows Manuel, played by Miguel Herrán, as he enters the notorious prison on precautionary detention for embezzlement. The story also delves into his fraught relationship with his cellmate Pino, offering a raw portrayal of confinement and tension.
Don’t Worry Dear and the edge of controversy
Olivia Wilde returns to the director’s chair with her second feature, a project that arrived at the Venice Film Festival amid extensive chatter. The headline star, Florence Pugh, anchors a story described as feminist and inspired by real events, echoing themes from classic works like The Truman Show to critique a seemingly perfect American community in the 1950s. Off-screen, Wilde’s collaboration with Harry Styles added extra intrigue to the project’s public reception.
The film’s publicity has been a magnet for discussion about gender, power, and idealized community life in midcentury America, making the movie feel destined for both acclaim and critique.
Rainbow and a playful prism on familiar tales
Rainbow is Paco León’s vibrant, surreal, and exuberant reimagining of a beloved fantasy. The project blends music, humor, and visual invention to craft a multidimensional experience that nods to classic fantasy cinema while pushing into fresh territory.
The cast reads like a who’s who of contemporary Spanish screen talent, including Dora Postigo, Carmen Machi, Carmen Maura, Luis Bermejo, Carmina Barrios, Ayax Pedrosa, Wekaforé and Soraya Yasmin Rosales, alongside Ester Expósito and Rossy de Palma. The film’s exuberant energy and inventive style invite audiences to suspend disbelief and revel in its kaleidoscopic storytelling.
Crimes of the Future and Cronenberg’s unsettling return
Viggo Mortensen embodies a striking alter ego for director David Cronenberg in Crimes of the Future, a provocative return to feature-length cinema after eight years. The Canadian filmmaker continues to blur lines between biology and art, pushing boundaries with a narrative that unsettles and provokes think pieces about contemporary body art.
In the film, Mortensen’s character, Saul Tenser, constructs his art from the human body itself, exploring internal organs and bodily sensations that society often fails to acknowledge. The story unfolds with a tension that comes both from Tenser’s performances and from the world that watches them, inviting conversations about perception, art, and the price of transformation.
Labordeta, a portrait of freedom
Labordeta, a man who is nothing more, directed by Paula Labordeta and Gaizka Urresti, offers a documentary portrait of a prominent Aragonese figure. The film explains why the singer, writer, and politician wrote freely, and why his songs carried weight for many people. It also explores the moments when political life collided with art and conscience.
The documentary traces Labordeta’s personality through the five women who stood closest to him and includes fragments from rarely seen diaries and archival footage captured with a super-eight camera. The result is a vivid, intimate look at a cultural icon and his enduring message of liberty.
My Imaginary Country and today’s Chile
Patricio Guzmán returns with a study of present-day Chile, a continuation of his roadmap of national history. Following films that explored nostalgia and memory, Guzmán turns the lens to the social upheavals that marked recent Chilean life, including the influential protests of 2019.
Guzmán, now in his eighties, uses a reflective and philosophical voice to document how those events reshaped the nation, weaving analysis with lyrical observation. His perspective invites viewers to consider how collective action translates into policy and everyday life, making the film a thoughtful essay on change and resilience.
Hunters of the World and a new French animation frontier
Hunters of the World continues the momentum of French animation, following The World Seekers, which became one of the year’s top box office successes. The new project reimagines Jules Verne’s classic Eighty Days Around the World through a modern, high-spirited lens.
Crafted by Samuel Torneaux, the film blends expansive landscapes with a playful spirit. Torneaux has previously earned recognition for his animated shorts, including a nomination for best animated short for Même les pigeons vont au paradis. This project promises a bold, immersive experience for audiences of all ages.
Silent Scream: The Roe v. Wade case and a dramatic retelling
The Silent Scream draws from real events surrounding the Roe v. Wade decision that defined abortion as a constitutionally protected right in the United States. The ruling remains a touchstone in American political life and continues to shape ongoing debates about reproductive rights.
Directed by Nick Loeb, the film features familiar faces such as Jon Voight, John Schneider, Steve Guttenberg, and Corbin Bernsen, delivering a dramatized but pointed exploration of a watershed moment in legal history.
Spider-Man: No Way Home returns to theaters
Spider-Man: No Way Home makes a triumphant return to cinemas, offering an extended version with never-before-seen scenes. Tom Holland reprises the mentor role of the friendly neighborhood hero, delivering a story that honors past cinematic milestones with familiar collaborators like Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Marisa Tomei. The re-release invites fans to revisit a film that redefined the modern superhero landscape.