Bertha Gaztelumendi and Rosa Zufía, Isabel Herguera, Josu Martinez and Fermin Muguruza to compete for the Irizar Basque Film Award

A total of 19 titles –15 features, one medium-length film, one short and two series– make up the Basque participation in the 71st edition of the San Sebastian Festival, distributed between the Official Selection, Donostia Award Special Screenings, Zabaltegi-Tabakalera, Made in Spain, Zinemira, Velodrome and the Basque Cinema, EiTB and RTVE Galas.

Zinemira, the section specifically dedicated to Basque cinema, is organised by the San Sebastian Festival and the Basque Government Department of Culture. It is sponsored by Irizar and EiTB and has the collaboration of the Basque Film Archive, the EPE/APV and IBAIA producers associations, and Zineuskadi. This year, Urbil also joins as a collaborator. At this edition, Zinemira comes with nine fictions and non-fictions. Three of these, to have their world premiere at the Festival, will compete for the Irizar Basque Film Award together with another two works present in other Festival sections. A total of five productions will therefore compete for the prize money of 20,000 euros going to the film’s producer or producers.

Irizar Award contenders

The dramatic odyssey of migrants on their way to Europe is at the centre of Bidasoa 2018-2023, the latest documentary work from Fermin Muguruza (Irun, 1963). The filmmaker and musician from Gipuzkoa has shown his work in several of the Festival sections: Zabaltegi (Zuloak, 2012), Zinemira (Black is beltza, 2018) and the Velodrome (Black is beltza II: Ainhoa, 2022).

Another Zinemira regular is the moviemaker Josu Martinez (Bilbao, 1986), who, after showing titles including Sagarren denbora. 25 urte deserritik itzultzen (2010) and Paperezko hegoak (Paper Wings, 2021), returns to the section twofold: Bizkarsoro contains five true stories taking place in an imaginary town, while Mirande, film baterako zirriborroa, the Zinemira closing film, approaches the life and work of the writer Jon Mirande.

Competing for the Irizar Basque Film Award alongside the above-mentioned three titles are another two films included in other sections: the animated film El sueño de la sultana / Sultana’s Dream, feature debut from Isabel Herguera (Donostia, 1961) programmed in the Official Selection, and Arnasa betean, emakume zinegileak / A Deep Breath, Women Filmmakers, by Bertha Gaztelumendi (Irun, 1962) and Rosa Zufía (Tudela, 1958). In this film, programmed for Tuesday 26 September in the Victoria Eugenia Theatre as part of the Basque Cinema Gala, the two directors bring an immersion in cinema by Basque women.

Zinemira out of competition

Another six films will complete the Zinemira competition, but this time not as competitors due to having had their premiere prior to screening in San Sebastian. The section will open with 20.000 especies de abejas / 20,000 Species of Bees, the first feature from Estibaliz Urresola (Llodio, 1984) premiered at the Berlinale, where Sofía Otero bagged the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance. It later went on to win the Golden Biznaga for Best Film and the Best Supporting Actress Award for Patricia López Arnaiz at Málaga Festival.

Also to screen out of competition is Irati, the second feature from Paul Urkijo Alijo (Vitoria, 1984), winner of the Audience Award both at Sitges and at the San Sebastian Horror Film Festival; Las buenas compañías / In the Company of Women, the second feature filme from the actress Sílvia Munt (Barcelona, 1957), which competed at Málaga Festival; Misión a Marte / Mission to Mars, with which Amat Vallmajor del Pozo (Girona, 1996), alumni of Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola, participated in WIP Europa and bagged a mention at Gijón Festival before showing at the Berlin Critics’ Week; Tetuán, the latest work from Iratxe Fresneda (Bilbao, 1974) shown at events such as Gijón, Zinebi and Nantes; and Una vida no tan simple / Not Such an Easy Life, by Félix Viscarret (Pamplona, 1975), premiered at Málaga Festival.

Basque filmmakers in other Festival sections and galas

Competing for the Golden Shell in the Official Selection is O corno / The Rye Horn, second feature from Jaione Camborda (San Sebastian, 1984), which participated at its project stage in the Ikusmira Berriak residency programme, to show in Toronto prior to its screening at the Festival.

Víctor Erice (Karrantza, 1940), one of this year’s Donostia Awards and the first Basque filmmaker to receive the distinction, will show his return to feature films, Cerrar los ojos / Close Your Eyes, 50 years after landing the Golden Shell for his first solo-helmed feature, El espíritu de la colmena / The Spirit of the Beehive.

Zabaltegi-Tabakalera will include two Basque productions, the world premiere of the medium-length Mamántula, directed by Ion de Sosa (Urnieta, 1981), and the short film Contadores, by Irati Gorostidi (Eguesibar, 1988), which participated in the Semaine de la Critique at Cannes and figured in last year’s Kimuak catalogue. Gorostidi is currently working on her first feature, Anekumen, selected for Ikusmira Berriak 2022 as well as for other mentoring programmes and markets.

Included in Made in Spain, Upon Entry / La llegada, which has Basque production, is the feature debut from Alejandro Rojas (Caracas, Venezuela. 1976) and Juan Sebastián Vásquez (Caracas, Venezuela. 1981), starring Alberto Ammann, winner of the Silver Biznaga for Best Performance by a Male Actor at Málaga Festival.

The Velodrome will also host the premiere of the tenth season of the musical teen series by EiTB Go!azen,whose autumn premiere will see the series pass the 100 episodes mark.
Chinas, the latest movie directed by Arantxa Echevarría (Bilbao, 1968), will participate in the RTVE Galas.

The EiTB Gala, programmed for Wednesday 27 September at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, will host the premiere of Itxaso, the latest fiction series in Basque from EiTB, starring Jon Plazaola, Nerea Mazo, Itziar Atienza, Jon Mendia and Nerea Garmendia, and set in the world of surf.

Projects

While not screening in cinemas, other Basque productions at the project stage can be found at the Festival, such as La última noche de un erasmus en Roma / An Erasumus Student's Last Night in Rome, the film being prepared by David Pérez Sañudo (Bilbao, 1987) at the Ikusmira Berriak residency, and projects like the one Bonzo Studios will present at Zinemadia Startup Challenge..

ZINEMIRA

Section dedicated to Basque film organised by the San Sebastian Festival and the Basque Government Department of Culture, with the sponsorship of Irizar and EITB; and the collaboration of Urbil, the Basque Film Archive, EPE/AVE, IBAIA and Zineuskadi.

20.000 especies de abejas / 20,000 Species of Bees

Estibaliz Urresola (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Sofía Otero, Patrícia López Arnaiz, Ane Gabarain, Itziar Lazkano

Opening Film

Eight-year-old Cocó struggles to meet others' expectations and can't understand why. Everyone around the child uses the name Aitor, a name that feels foreign to Cocó. Ane, the siblings' mother will take advantage of the holidays to take her three children to the house where her mother Lita and her aunt Lourdes live, with close ties to beekeeping. This summer that will change their lives will oblige these women from three very different generations to confront their doubts and fears.

Mirande, film bat egiteko zirriborroa

Josu Martinez (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain - France

Competes for the Irizar Basque Film Award

Closing Film

"In the mid 20th century Jon Mirande demonstrated with his prose that the Basque language was capable of producing cultured, universal literature. Everybody recognises its importance. But it is still a taboo subject. De Mirande is said to have been a racist. A paedophile. Nazi. Misogynist. Immoral. Every time his name is mentioned, fiery controversies break out. We don't know what to do with him. I want to make a film about Mirande. But I don't know how. Perhaps it would be more interesting to give him the floor". (Josu Martinez)

Bidasoa 2018-2023

Fermin Muguruza (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Competes for the Irizar Basque Film Award

Police control and the closure of certain crossings on the Bidasoa river, natural border of the Pyrenées-Atlantiques Department, imposed by France in summer 2018 to prevent the entrance of immigrants on their way to other European countries, caused 10 deaths in a single year. Seven people died from April 2021, drowned in the waters of the River Bidasoa between Irun and Hendaia, while another three lost their lives in October 2021, hit by a train in Ziburu. This documentary, as well as putting a voice and face to several of the activists who work on either side of the river, as representatives of the Harrera Sarea (Reception Network) and Bidasoa Etorkinekin (The Bidasoa with Migrants) associations, also recalls those who lost their lives, giving them a name and an age, following their journey and their dreams, discovering the history and the people behind the cold figures of the deceased, giving the tragedy a more human aspect.

Bizkarsoro

Josu Martinez (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: France - Spain

Competes for the Irizar Basque Film Award

In a non-existent town, five true stories based on oral testimonials and texts by writers take place between 1914 and 1982. Through them, we see the social changes experienced throughout the 20th century by a small town in the Northern Basque Country, the deep-rootedness and approximation of a language, and the struggle for survival.

Irati

Paul Urkijo Alijo (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Eneko Sagardoy, Edurne Azkarate, Itziar Ituño, Iñigo Aranbarri, Kepa Errasti, Elena Uriz, Nagore Aranburu, Ramón Agirre, Unax Hayden, Iñaki Beraetxe

Eighth century. Christianity is spreading throughout Europe, while pagan beliefs are disappearing. After the attack of the Franks, and with the Carolingian army almost over the Pyrenees, the local bailiff turns to an ancient goddess for help. Thanks to a blood compact, and in exchange for his own life, he defeats the enemy; however, before dying, he makes his son Eneko promise that he will protect his people and guide them in the new era. A few years later Eneko will try to keep his promise by completing a mission: to recover his father's body.

Las buenas compañías / In the Company of Women

Silvia Munt (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain - France

Cast: Alicia Falcó, Itziar Ituño, Elena Tarrats

Summer 1977. Bea is 16 and joins the winds of change blowing through the country; she collaborates with a group of women to raise awareness of the feminist cause, and to help them have an abortion in decent conditions. The rebelliousness boiling in her blood will mingle with an unexpected feeling and turn her life upside down: she falls in love with a girl a little older than herself and from a good family. What she doesn't realise is that this mysterious girl, Miren, has a secret that will catapult Bea directly into the painful world of adults.

Misión a Marte / Mission to Mars

Amat Vallmajor del Pozo (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Txomin del Pozo, Gerardo del Pozo

WIP Europa 2021

Txomin, an unemployed Basque archaeologist, receives a commission to provide an expert's report on Mars. With his brother Gene at the wheel, they leave Eibar on an adventure through northern Spain. When Gene's frail health and a mysterious toxic mist make them lose their way, they turn to their sister Mila. The reunion between the three awakens old family gripes as Gene's health continues to decline. With the help of a few ghosts and Jesus Christ himself, the two brothers decide to complete their mission.

Tetuán

Iratxe Fresneda (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Irina Conca, Mohamed Iacob

With a film based on real-life experiences, Iratxe Fresneda takes us on a personal voyage. Past and present come together in an emotional and sensory audiovisual experience.

Una vida no tan simple / Not Such An Easy Life

Félix Viscarret (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Miki Esparbé, Álex García, Ana Polvorosa, Olaya Caldera

Today Isaías runs back and forward between the park where he plays with his kids and his architecture studio, where he complains to his colleague Nico. No matter where he is, Isaías feels he should be somewhere else. And when he's with Ainhoa, his wife, they realise just how tiring children can be when they're so young. In the park, he makes friends with Sonia, the mother of another child, from whom he learns that raising children and coming of age isn't that easy. It never was.

BASQUE FILM GALA

Arnasa betean, emakume zinegileak / A Deep Breath, Women Filmmakers

Bertha Gaztelumendi (Spain), Rosa Zufía (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Competes for the Irizar Basque Film Award

Euskal Zinema eta ETB Gala

At last we are starting to hear the voice of women in the cinema. We celebrate it with this documentary on the Basque women moviemakers of yesterday and today, giving a global overview of the subject. Three female divers guide us through the topic of their films, their points of view, their dreams, their efforts to get somewhere, their contribution to the cinema and to society. We discover the female pioneers, and are surprised by the work of older women filmmakers or of the younger ones who are now enjoying success at festivals.

EiTB GALA

Itxaso

Series

Antonio Díaz Huerta (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Jon Plazaola, Nerea Mazo, Jon Mendia, Itziar Atienza, Amancay Gaztañaga, Aritz Kortabarria, Sambou Diaby, Itziar Manero, Nerea Garmendia, Nerea Paris

Itxaso is 17 and lives in Mexico. However, when her mother dies, she has no option but to move to a coastal village in the Basque Country to live with her father Mikel. Mikel is a former surf champion who runs a small school. He is a man that Itxaso doesn't know and that she will be forced to get along with no matter how different they are.

OFFICIAL SELECTION - In competition

El sueño de la sultana / Sultana's Dream

Isabel Herguera (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain - Germany

Competes for the Irizar Basque Film Award

Competes for the Spanish Cooperation Award

Taking her inspiration from a feminist sci-fi short story written in Bengal in 1905, Inés sets out on a voyage of discovery around India in search of Ladyland, the Utopian land of women.

O corno / The Rye Horn

Jaione Camborda (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain - Portugal - Belgium

Cast: Janet Novás, Siobhan Fernandes, Carla Rivas, Daniela Hernán Marchán, María Lado, Julia Gómez, José Navarro, Nuria Lestegás, Diego Anido

Ikusmira Berriak 2020

Illa de Arousa, 1971. Maria is a woman who earns a living harvesting shellfish. She is also known on the island for helping other women in childbirth with special dedication and care. After an unexpected event, she is forced to flee and sets out on a dangerous journey that will make her fight for her survival. Seeking her freedom, Maria decides to cross the border by one of the smugglers' routes between Galicia and Portugal.

DONOSTIA AWARD SCREENING

Cerrar los ojos / Close Your Eyes

Víctor Erice (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain - Argentina

Cast: Manolo Solo, Jose Coronado, Ana Torrent, Petra Martínez, María León, Mario Pardo, Helena Miquel, Antonio Dechent, José María Pou, Soledad Villamil, Juan Margallo, Venecia Franco

A famous Spanish actor, Julio Arenas, vanishes during a movie shoot. Although his body is never found, the police conclude that he had some kind of an accident on the seashore. Several years down the line, this mystery of sorts returns to front page news when a TV programme looking back at the actor shows exclusive images of the last scenes in which he participated, filmed by his close friend, the director Miguel Garay..

ZABALTEGI-TABAKALERA

Contadores

Short film

Irati Gorostidi (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Santiago Fernández de Mosteyrín, Jaume Ferrete, Claugia Pagès, Iskandar Rementeria, Natalia Suárez, Marina Suárez, Mugerza Ronse

During the 1978 negotiations for a new bargaining agreement in the metalworking sector, a group of militant libertarians defend their radical stance before their factory workmates while looking on crestfallen as the workers’ movement falls to pieces.

Mamántula

Medium-length film

Ion de Sosa (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Germany - Spain

Cast: Lorena Iglesias Lista, Moisés Richart, Marta Bassols

Mamántula is the boy everyone wants, but he is also, secretly, a giant spider cross-dressed as a human, fruit of a brief encounter in a far-off paradise. In an alternative past of brutalist saunas, never-ending subway corridors and detectives in trench coats and hats, each of Mamántula's lovers succumb to the insatiable lust of blood and semen; yet another thread in the stellar spider's web he is weaving so that he can return to the dimension to which he belongs.

VELODROME

Go!azen

Series

Jabi Elortegi Gametxo (Spain), Itziar Gomez Sarasola (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Nerea Elizalde, Mikele Arizkorreta, Kimetz Etxabe, Unai Arana, Unai Arrieta, Haizea Astrain, Ander Ayerza, Xabier Elizalde, Marina Ostolaza, Maria Redondo, Nerea Arriola, Andoni Agirregomezkorta, Ander Lacalle, Aitor Beltran, Lorea Intxausti

Although born as a TV film, this year Go!azen enters its 10th season. In each one, the first musical series produced in the Basque Country brings a new summer at the Basakabi camp, with covers of well-known songs old and new. This year's season is once again packed with laughs and adventures. Presentation of the first episode of the tenth season.

RTVE GALA

Chinas

Arantxa Echevarría (Spain)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Daniela Shiman Yang, Xinyi Ye, Ella Qiu, Pablo Molinero, Leonor Watling, Carolina Yuste

RTVE Gala

The tale of two 9-year-old Chinese girls told parallel to one another. The two start school in Madrid: they look alike, but they are very different: Lucia is the daughter of immigrants. She feels Spanish, she wants to fit in, but her parents don't speak Spanish and they work all day long. They don't even want her to celebrate her birthday at Burger King. Xiang is adopted. She attracts attention wherever she goes with her Spanish parents. She feels neither Chinese nor accepted by the children at school.

MADE IN SPAIN

Upon Entry

Alejandro Rojas (Venezuela), Juan Sebastián Vásquez (Venezuela)

Country(ies) of production: Spain

Cast: Alberto Ammann, Bruna Cusí, Ben Temple, Laura Gómez

Diego, a Venezuelan town planner, and Elena, a contemporary dancer from Barcelona, travel to the United States, with their visas approved, to start a new life. But on coming to the immigration zone of Newark airport, they are taken to the secondary inspection room, where two border protection officers subject them to an inspection and psychologically draining interrogation in the attempt to find out if the couple has anything to hide.

'Primeran' Platform

At today’s press conference in Tabakalera, the director of ETB Unai Iparragirre revealed the first details of Primeran, the new streaming platform to launch this week. Virtually all of the content on the platform will broadcast in Basque and, among other specific sections, it will have one dedicated to the Basque films to have participated in the San Sebastian Festival in recent decades.

Zinemira Award: Paco Sagarzazu

The Zinemira Award, to be presented at the Basque Cinema Gala, is the honorary award given by the San Sebastian Festival and the EPE/APV and IBAIA producers associations to the career of an outstanding figure, programme or institution in the world of Basque cinema. Until now, it has recognised the careers of Imanol Uribe (2009), Álex Angulo (2010), Elías Querejeta (2011), Michel Gaztambide (2012), Juanba Berasategi (2013), Pedro Olea (2014), Karmele Soler (2015), Ramón Barea (2016), Julia Juaniz (2017), Ramón Agirre (2018), Jose María Txepe Lara (2019), Sara Bilbatua (2020), the Kimuak programme (2021) and Txema Areizaga (2022). This year the Festival and the producers associations have decided to pay tribute to the actor Paco Sagarzazu, an indispensable figure on Basque screens and stages in the last 40 years.

Paco Sagarzazu (San Sebastian, 1940) had his first experience with the cinema when his theatre play Balantzatxoa was taken to the screen in 1976 by director Juanmi Gutiérrez and became the first movie for children to be shot in the Basque language. The following year he won the Ciudad de Irun Prize with his novel Para no sé quién. While working for Radio Popular as a presenter, writer and scriptwriter of comedy programmes, he went along to the casting for La fuga de Segovia (Imanol Uribe, 1981) where he was chosen to play the part of one of the prisoners.

Since then, his name has been linked to Basque cinema as a luxury member of the cast in projects by moviemakers such as Montxo Armendáriz (Tasio, Official Selection, 1984), Eloy de la Iglesia (Otra vuelta de tuerca, Official Selection, 1985), Ana Díez (Ander eta Yul, New Directors, 1988), Daniel Calparsoro (Salto al vacío / Jump into the Void, Made in Spain, 1995), Antonio Mercero (La hora de los valientes, Made in Spain, 1998), Gracia Querejeta (Cuando vuelvas a mi lado / By My Side Again, Official Selection 1999), Karra Elejalde and Fernando Guillén Cuervo (Año mariano, 2000), Javier Fesser (La gran aventura de Mortadelo y Filemón, Made in Spain, 2003), Asier Altuna and Telmo Esnal (Aupa Etxebeste!, New Directors, 2005), Álex de la Iglesia (Balada triste de trompeta / The Last Circus, Made in Spain, 2010) and Aritz Moreno (Ventajas de viajar en tren / Advantages of Travelling by Train, 2019).

For decades, Sagarzazu has been a regular face in countless Basque short film projects, such as Alsasua 1936 (Helena Taberna, 1994), Muerto de amor (Ramón Barea and José María Lara, 1997), Txotx (Asier Altuna and Telmo Esnal, 1997), Cotton Candy (Aritz Moreno, 2009), Él nunca lo haría (Anartz Zuazua, 2009), Artalde (Asier Altuna, 2010) and Cólera (Aritz Moreno, 2013), among many others. He has also worked in TV series including El comisario, Policías, Hospital Central and Cuéntame cómo pasó, and has an important career in theatre, where he has starred, among other functions, in El florido pensil, El hombre que confundió a su mujer con un sombrero, Las sillas, Las criadas and Cabaret latino.

Basque, Spanish and English in all Official Selection screenings at the K1

From this year on, all films in the Official Selection programmed at the Kursaal 1 can be enjoyed in San Sebastian Festival’s three official languages: Basque, Spanish and English. This means that each film will be screened in its original version and will come with subtitles in said languages where required.

Films spoken partially or totally in basque

20.000 ESPECIES DE ABEJAS / 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES by Estibaliz Urresola (Zinemira)
592 METROZ GOITI / ABOVE 592 METRES by Maddi Barber (Zinemaldia + Plus)
ARNASA BETEAN, EMAKUME ZINEGILEAK / A DEEP BREATH, WOMEN FILMMAKERS by Bertha Gaztelumendi and Rosa Zufía (Basque Film Gala)
BIDASOA 2018-2023 by Fermin Muguruza (Zinemira)
BIZKARSORO by Josu Martinez (Zinemira)
EL SUEÑO DE LA SULTANA / SULTANA'S DREAM by Isabel Herguera (Official Selection)
GO!AZEN by Jabi Elortegi Gametxo and Itziar Gomez Sarasola (Velodrome)
IRATI by Paul Urkijo Alijo (Zinemira)
ITXASO by Antonio Diaz Huerta (EiTB Gala)
KE ARTEKO EGUNAK by Antxon Eceiza (Zinemaldia + Plus)
LAS BUENAS COMPAÑÍAS / IN THE COMPANY OF WOMEN by Silvia Munt (Zinemira)
LAS CHICAS ESTÁN BIEN / THE GIRLS ARE ALRIGHT by Itsaso Arana (Made in Spain)
MIRANDE, FILM BATERAKO ZIRRIBORROA / MIRANDE by Josu Martinez (Zinemira)
SORBELTZA by Iban del Campo (Zinemira-Kimuak)
TETUÁN by Iratxe Fresneda (Zinemira)
XIMINOA / THE MONKEY by Itziar Leemans (Zinemira-Kimuak)

Children's films dubbed into Basque

The Movies for Kids section offers a selection of five films for an audience of children to be screened in Basque, thanks to the collaboration of Zineuskadi as part of the Zinema Euskaraz (Cinema in Basque) programme.

AINBO: AMAZONIAKO GERRARIA / AINBO: SPIRIT OF THE AMAZON by José Zelada and Richard Claus
BARRASKILOA ETA BALEA ETA ITSASOKO BESTE IPUIN BATZUK / THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE by Max Lang
DORAEMON MOVIE: NOBITAREN DINOSAURIO BERRIA / DORAEMON THE MOVIE: NOBITA’S NEW DINOSAUR by Kazuaki Imai
GABI, 8 URTETIK 13 URTERA / GABI: BETWEEN AGES 8 AND 13 by Engeli Broberg
ILARGIRANTZ / MOONBOUND by Ali Samadi Ahadi
SUPERHEROIEN FAMILIA / JUST SUPER by Rasmus A. Siversten

Furthermore, and thanks to the collaboration with the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) and the Filmoteca Vasca, the Festival will run every morning a screening for Gipuzkoa school children at the Velodrome of Leon Ding’s film Boonie Bears: Abentura Historiaurrean / Boonie Bears: Blast Into the Past, dubbed into Basque.

Films in other sections with subtitles in Basque

OFFICIAL SELECTION

ALL DIRT ROADS TASTE OF SALT by Raven Jackson
CHUN XÍNG / A JOURNEY IN SPRING by Tzu-Hui Peng and Ping-Wen Wang
DANCE FIRST by James Marsh (Closing Film – Out of Competition)
EL SUEÑO DE LA SULTANA / SULTANA’S DREAM by Isabel Herguera
EX-HUSBANDS by Noah Pritzker
FINGERNAILS by Christos Nikou
GREAT ABSENCE by Kei Chika-Ura
KALAK by Isabella Eklöf
KIMITACHI WA DO IKIRU KA / THE BOY AND THE HERON, by Hayao Miyazaki (Opening Film – Out of Competition)
L’ÎLE ROUGE / RED ISLAND by Robin Campillo
LA MESÍAS by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (Out of Competition)
LA PRÁCTICA / THE PRACTICE by Martín Rejtman
LE SUCCESSEUR / THE SUCCESSOR by Xavier Legrand
MMXX by Cristi Puiu
O CORNO / THE RYE HORN by Jaione Camborda
PUAN by María Alché and Benjamín Naishtat
THE ROYAL HOTEL by Kitty Green
THEY SHOT THE PIANO PLAYER by Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal (Special Screenings Out of Competition)
UN AMOR by Isabel Coixet
UN SILENCE / A SILENCE by Joachim Lafosse

NEW DIRECTORS

ASHIL / ACHILLES by Farhad Delaram
BAHADUR THE BRAVE by Diwa Shah
LAST SHADOW AT FIRST LIGHT by Nicole Midori Woodford
LES RAYONS GAMMA / GAMMA RAYS by Henry Bernadet

ZABALTEGI-TABAKALERA

CAMPING DU LAC by Éléonore Saintagnan
DUAN PIAN GU SHÍ / SHORT STORY by Lang Wu
GAMOPITULI KHALKHI / WE ARE THE HOLLOW MEN by Rati Oneli
HERE by Bas Devos
L'ÎLE / THE ISLAND by Damien Manivel
LA PALISIADA by Philip Sotnychenko
OYU by Atsushi Hirai
OR PANAS YACHID / SINGLE LIGHT by Shaylee Atary
SĪLAN by Ashmita Guha Neogi
SUIGYO NO MAJIWARI / TWO OF US by Kohei Igarashi
XUE YUN / ABSENCE by Lang Wu

PERLAK

KUOLLEET LEHDET / FALLEN LEAVES by Aki Kaurismäki
PAST LIVES by Celine Song
THE ZONE OF INTEREST by Jonathan Glazer
ROTER HIMMEL / AFIRE by Christian Petzold

CULINARY ZINEMA

NANG FANG NANG FANG / BACK TO THE SOUTH by Xiao Haiping
SHE CHEF by Melanie Liebheit and Gereon Wetzel

RETROSPECTIVE – HIROSHI TESHIGAHARA

MOETSUKITA CHIZU / THE MAN WITHOUT A MAP
OTOSHI-ANA / THE TRAP
SAMA SORUJA / SUMMER SOLDIER
SHIN ZATO-ICHI. NIJI NO TABI / ZATO-ICHI NEW SERIES. WANDER OF THE RAINBOW
SHIN ZATO-ICHI. YUME NO TABI / ZATO-ICHI NEW SERIES. WANDER OF THE DREAMS
SUNA NO ONNA / WOMAN IN THE DUNES
TANIN NO KAO / THE FACE OF ANOTHER

Zinemira Kimuak (Exclusively for professionals)

The Zinemira section will include the short film selection for the 2023 programme of Kimuak, an initiative of the Basque Government Department of Culture and the Filmoteca Vasca, which has the vocation to disseminate the best Basque short films of the year. This year the Kimuak selection includes seven short films:

DEADLY DRAW by Nitya López
EL APRENDIZ by Raúl Campos
EL REY DE LA SEMANA by David Pérez Sañudo
LA MUJER ILUSTRADA / THE ILUSTRATED WOMAN by Isabel Herguera
PRIORIDADES / PRIORITIES by Tamara Lucarini
SORBELTZA by Iban del Campo
XIMINOA / THE MONKEY by Itziar Leemans