Highlights from the 73rd San Sebastian International Film Festival: Winners and Awards Recap

San Sebastian Film Festival Concludes with a Night of Celebrations and Awards

San Sebastian, Spain – The 73rd San Sebastian International Film Festival wrapped up its vibrant celebration of cinema on Saturday night with a dazzling closing gala at the iconic Kursaal Theater. As the curtains fell on this year’s festival, filmmakers and cinephiles gathered to honor the best in film, with a host of prestigious awards up for grabs.

Among the standout features vying for the coveted Golden Shell were Edward Berger’s Ballad of a Small Player, Alice Winocour’s Couture, and James Vanderbilt’s Nuremberg. The competition also included the poignant queer drama Maspalomas by Jose Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi, alongside Agnieszka Holland’s biopic Franz about the life of Franz Kafka.

However, it was the Basque drama Sundays (Los domingos) that captured the top honor of the evening. Directed by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, the film tells the compelling story of Ainara, a brilliant 17-year-old torn between her family’s expectations for her future and her growing spiritual calling towards a life as a cloistered nun.

In addition to the Golden Shell, the festival recognized exceptional talent across various categories. Belgian filmmaker Joachim Lafosse took home the Silver Shell for Best Director for his deeply personal film Six Days in Spring, which also earned the Jury Prize for Best Screenplay. Lafosse shared insights with The Hollywood Reporter about the emotional journey that shaped the project.

The Audience Award went to The Voice of Hind Rajab, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. This powerful drama reconstructs the tragic events surrounding the death of six-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed by Israeli military fire while fleeing Gaza City. The film poignantly captures the desperate attempts of Red Crescent volunteers to save her life through recorded phone calls.

Full List of Winners

• Golden Shell: Sundays, Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
• Special Jury Prize: Good Valley Stories, José Luis Guerin
• Silver Shell for Best Director: Six Days in Spring, Joachim Lafosse
• Silver Shell for Best Leading Performance: Her Heart Beats in Its Cage, Zhao Xiaohong; Maspalomas, Jose Ramon Soroiz
• Silver Shell for Best Supporting Performance: Belén, Camila Plaate
• Jury Prize for Best Cinematography: Los Tigres, Pau Esteve
• Jury Prize for Best Screenplay: Six Days in Spring, Joachim Lafosse, Chloé Duponchelle, Paul Ismaël
• New Directors Award: Weightless, Emilie Thalund
• Horizontes Latinos Award: A Poet, Simón Mesa Soto
• Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Award: The Ice Tower, Lucile Hadžihalilović
• Audience Award for Best Film: The Voice of Hind Rajab, Kaouther Ben Hania
• Audience Award for Best European Film: Little Amélie, Maïlys Valladeania
• Irizar Basque Film Award: Sundays, Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
• Culinary Zinema Award: Mam, Nan Feix
• Special Mention: Belén, Dolores Fonzi
• RTVE Another Look Award: The Currents, Milagros Mumenthaler
• Spanish Cooperation Award: Good Valley Stories, José Luis Guerin

As the festival concludes, it leaves behind a rich tapestry of stories and a renewed appreciation for the art of filmmaking, setting the stage for next year’s cinematic celebrations.