For at least the next eight days, Saint Sebastian will offer more than just meals in Old Town. Between the opening ceremony this Friday and the awards gala next Saturday, the 70th edition of Zinemaldia serves a cinematic menu that pairs highly anticipated Spanish films with familiar faces and fresh talent eager to shine. The festival is led by a season of recognition for Juliette Binoche and David Cronenberg. These titles are among the standout selections in the lineup.
Model 77 by Alberto Rodriguez
Rodriguez maintains a close relationship with this festival, having presented his debut feature El factor Pilgrim and later earning accolades for 7 vírgenes, La isla mínima, and El hombre de las mil caras in acting categories. The much-anticipated opening feature, guided by the Sevillian director, is set in a Barcelona prison and the year implied by its title. It blends political drama with prison intrigue to dramatize the remarkable story of COPEL, a group of inmates who unite to demand rights after a 1977 amnesty and resist exploitation by authorities.
The Winter Child by Christophe Honoré
A scene from The Winter Child accompanies this note.
Honoré, a prolific French director, continues to explore universal themes across his body of work, including family, sexuality, and mortality, in a new feature that blends autobiographical insight with fiction. The central character is a young man facing turmoil after a pivotal tragedy, drawn from a past version of the director himself. Notably, Honoré has appeared as an actor in fourteen of his collaborative projects, a rare tally in his career.
Mother by Pilar Palomero
Palomero’s breakthrough feature Las Niñas debuted at Malaga in 2020 and earned multiple Goya nominations in 2021, including Best Film, New Director, Original Screenplay, and Cinematography. Her next work remains a high-profile entry in this competition. The film follows a 14-year-old girl who discovers she is pregnant and must navigate life in a foster setting alongside other young mothers, exploring what it means to learn to care for a child.
Miracle by Sebastián Lelio
Florence Pugh stars in Lelio’s latest, a filmmaker known for elevating female perspectives. Lelio’s past works, including Gloria, Disobedience, and A Fantastic Woman, mark him as a storyteller who frequently centers women’s experiences. The new project examines the clash between science and faith as it follows a 19th-century nun investigating a girl who has not eaten for months, offering a fresh angle on faith, doubt, and belief.
God’s Crooked Lines by Oriol Paulo
Adapting Torcuato Luca de Tena’s landmark 1979 novel, this production stands as a testament to the book’s enduring appeal. Paulo frames a mystery around a private detective who checks into a psychiatric hospital to resolve a case, weaving influences from Shutter Island, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and classic psychological thrillers. The director’s approach blends suspense with a psychological lens, building a tense investigation that keeps viewers guessing.
Sparta by Ulrich Seidl
Sparta arrives with a controversial edge, featuring a narrative centered on a strict coach and charged undercurrents. Reports from Der Spiegel raise questions about on-set practices, drawing scrutiny to the production. Despite the controversy, Seidl’s work continues to provoke discussion about power, vulnerability, and the boundaries of filming in sensitive environments.
Feeling a Lot by Fernando León de Aranoa
Following a year in which his project received significant critical attention, León de Aranoa presents a biographical exploration of Joaquín Sabina’s life, art, and tours. The film blends music with storytelling, weaving Sabina’s daily rhythms and creative process into a cinematic portrait that echoes the artist’s enduring influence. The score features Leiva, a collaborator and friend in the music world, enriching the film’s atmosphere with authentic, intimate resonance.
Walk Up by Hong Sangsoo
Hong Sangsoo, revered for rapid, high-caliber output, returns with a portrait of a film director navigating a building he owns with his daughter. The narrative follows a long-standing collaborator who has established a voice in design and cinema. Fans of Hong can expect a quietly sharp, character-driven piece that blends humor with contemplative cinema.
Wild Sunflowers by Jaime Rosales
Rosales returns to the festival four years after Petra, continuing to share his direct, unguarded approach. His new project follows a young woman of 22 who balances motherhood, relationships, and personal ambitions. This entry marks Rosales’ second appearance in the festival’s top competition, after receiving critical recognition for Headshot.
Marlowe by Neil Jordan
Liam Neeson stars in this adaptation inspired by Raymond Chandler’s noir universe, though not a direct adaptation of a single novel. A seasoned private detective becomes entangled in a web of lies as he tracks a glamorous heiress’s ex, drawing on the mood and atmospherics associated with Chandler’s evergreen stories. This film closes the festival, delivering a noir finale with a familiar face in the lead role.