San Sebastian

The Wonder

by Stephen Dalton | Sep 23, 2022 | Festivals, San Sebastian, SAN SEBASTIAN 2022, Spotlight

Oscar-winning director Sebastien Lelio’s handsome literary mystery thriller ‘The Wonder’ stars Florence Pugh as a kick-ass nurse fighting fake news and dubious miracles in 19th century Ireland.

The Substitute

by Deborah Young | Sep 21, 2022 | Festivals, San Sebastian, SAN SEBASTIAN 2022

Set in the barrios of Buenos Aires, Diego Lerman’s classroom drama movingly praises a dissatisfied young lit teacher who can’t help but interfere in his students’ lives.

Great Yarmouth – Provisional Figures

by Stephen Dalton | Sep 21, 2022 | Featured, Festivals, San Sebastian, SAN SEBASTIAN 2022

Brexit Britain offers only hellish horrors to exploited migrant workers in ‘Great Yarmouth – Provisional Figures’, a bleakly compelling social-realist thriller from Portuguese director Marco Martins.

Il Boemo

by Deborah Young | Sep 20, 2022 | Festivals, International Oscars 2024, San Sebastian, SAN SEBASTIAN 2022

The life and loves of 18th century Czech opera composer Josef Myslivecek, and his dazzling Italian career and fall into obscurity, are lovingly and authentically reconstructed in Petr Vaclav’s sumptuous period production.

Thunder

by Stephen Dalton | Sep 20, 2022 | Featured, Festivals, International Oscars 2024, San Sebastian, SAN SEBASTIAN 2022

Carmen Jaquier’s powerful debut feature ‘Thunder’ chronicles a stormy collision between religious faith and sexual rapture in early 20th century Switzerland.

Sparta

by Deborah Young | Sep 19, 2022 | Festivals, San Sebastian, SAN SEBASTIAN 2022, Spotlight

Screening in San Sebastian competition after it was pulled from Toronto, Ulrich Seidl’s most controversial film to date underlines the sleaze and creepiness of pedophilia so forcefully it is painful to watch.

The Great Silence

by Deborah Young | Sep 18, 2022 | Festivals, San Sebastian, SAN SEBASTIAN 2022, Spotlight

Katrin Brocks’ feature debut takes full advantage of its exotic setting in a highly dramatized if not always convincing story about a devout young woman who’s about to become a nun when her violent brother turns up at the convent.

Prison 77

by Deborah Young | Sep 17, 2022 | Festivals, San Sebastian, SAN SEBASTIAN 2022, Spotlight

Director Alberto Rodriguez grippingly reconstructs the post-Franco years, using historical riots and prisoners demanding human rights as a microcosm of Spain as it made a screeching transition from fascism to democracy.

Vicenta B.

by Patricia Boero | Sep 10, 2022 | Festivals, San Sebastian, SAN SEBASTIAN 2022, Spotlight, Toronto, VENICE 2022

Director Carlos Lechuga sends a powerful farewell letter to a country adrift in depression and despair in this heartbreaking chronicle of the post-Cuban revolution.

Drive My Car

by Deborah Young | Jan 13, 2022 | Antalya, Buenos Aires, Busan, Cannes, Festivals, Karlovy Vary, Mar del Plat, Oscar shortlist, Rotterdam, San Sebastian, Tallinn, Thessaloniki, Toronto

Winner of the Academy Award for best international feature, Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ‘Drive My Car’ is the story of how love survives death in a long, measured, ultimately mesmerizing examination of the human soul.

70th San Sebastian International Film Festival

Festival Reviews