San Sebastian Festival kicked off on Friday, at 21:00. The city of the Basque Country opens once again its doors to cinema, in itself a door to other realities. The stage of the opening gala has been conceived with this idea in mind.
Edurne Ormazábal and Eduardo Noriega were the host of the gala, also featuring the participation of Leticia Dolera, Quim Gutiérrez, Belén López, Verónica Sánchez and Adriana Ugarte. Director Isaki Lacuesta will introduce the retrospective .doc – New paths of non-fiction and Anney Siegel the one dedicated to her father, Don Siegel.
Chicogrande, the Festival opening film, has be be presented by its director, Felipe Cazals, while the actress Yun Junghee has taken her turn with Poetry, opening movie of Zabaltegi-Pearls. Diego Luna and John Malkovich have introduced Abel, the film opening Horizontes Latinos.
The gala has been attended by the Chairman of the Official Jury, Goran Paskaljevic, alongside Jo Allen, José Coronado, Claudia Llosa, Raya Martin and Pablo Trapero, members of the Official Jury. The Chairs of the Kutxa-New Directors Award, Hans Petter Moland, and of the Horizontes Award, Sebastián Cordero, were also present.
In addition to the above, actress Olivia Williams will receive the Fipresci Grand Prix for the film The Ghost Writer, directed by Roman Polanski.
200 metres of black carpet
The double black carpet followed by participants in this edition of San Sebastian Festival measures a total of 200 metres in length, while the black carpet leading to the doors of the Kursaal covers 90 metres, and the one running as of tomorrow from María Cristina Hotel to the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, 110 metres.
Cinematography Award
Presentation of the National Cinematography Award by the Ministry of Culture to director Álex de la Iglesia will take place on Saturday 18, at 12:00, in the Foyer of the Victoria Eugenia Theatre.