Review of San Sebastián International Film Festival 2022

Abstract

The San Sebastián International Film Festival (SSIFF), the longest running festival in the Spanish-speaking world, celebrated its 70th anniversary edition on September 16–24, 2022, screening some 200 movies. The annual SSIFF is classified as a category A competitive festival by FIAPF (International Film Producers Association). When SSIFF began in the 1950s, it was the obligatory fourth stop in the festival calendar after Berlin, Cannes and Venice. Hitchcock premiered both Vertigo and North by Northwest at San Sebastián. As currently organized, SSIFF consists of eight competitive divisions: The Official Competition, New Directors, Horizontes Latinos/Latin Horizons for films from Latin America, and Zabatelgi Tabakalera for experimental or ‘heterogenous’ films, Zinemira for Basque cinema, WIP Latam (Works in Progress from Latin America), WIP Europe and Nest for film school products, mostly shorts. In addition, there are showcase sections, whose films still can compete for some non-categorical prizes: Made in Spain and Perlas/Pearls for films which already debuted at other major festivals this year. Further, there are non-competitive sections unique to SSIFF: a retrospective of one classic director for which the festival publishes an academic book, this year on Claude Sautet; and Culinary Cinema, whose films are accompanied by hotly sought after ticketed dinners prepared by top global chefs, most often from Asia and Latin America, featured in or related to the respective movies. This year Virgilio Martínez of Lima, Peru’s Central, the number 4 ranked restaurant in the world, prepared the dinner that was paired with the film Virgilio about him and his wife, Pia León, and their rapidly expanding restaurant empire. This section underscores San Sebastián’s tourist status as the top gastronomical destination in the world, according to The Times of London. There is an ongoing joke that people come to SSIFF for the food. Finally, SSIFF bestows two lifetime career awards, called Donostia Awards in gala events, one to a filmmaker and another to an actor. David Cronenberg and Juliette Binoche were so honored for 2022. Since SSIFF has a lower budget than most other category A festivals, it is less able to attract major Hollywood stars or English language titles, though some are included out of competition with special promotions such as this year’s ‘surprise film’ Blonde, or the closing gala film, Neil Jordan’s Marlowe, starring Liam Neelson, which had been filmed in Barcelona. These were disappointing offerings. Instead, SSIFF focuses more strongly and successfully on Asia, Europe and Latin America. This year, for example, the veteran Chinese filmmaker Chao Wang won the Silver Shell for best screenplay for A Woman. It