The San Sebastian Film Festival released the first six titles competing for the Golden Shell at its 68th edition. The list features returning filmmakers Naomi Kawase, François Ozon, and new directors such as Dea Kulumbegashvili and Takuma Sato, among others.
Sharunas Bartas (Lithuania) / In The Dusk
Festival native Sharunas Bartas, will return to the San Sebastian Festival for the world premiere of his film In The Dusk. The film takes viewers back to 1948 Lithuania after World War II. Unté, a 19-year old member of the Partisan movement, discovers violence and treachery in his fight against the Soviet occupation.
Naomi Kawase (Japan) / True Mothers
A regular at the San Sebastian Festival, Noami Kawase’s True Mothers / Asa Ga Kuru will make its European premiere. The film explores the family microcosm through the confrontation between two mothers: one biological and the other adoptive. After a long and unsuccessful struggle to get pregnant, Satoko and her husband adopt a baby boy only for their parenthood to be shaken a few years later by a woman who pretends to be the boy’s biological mother.
Dea Kulumbegashbili (Georgia) / Beginning
Young Georgian filmmaker Dea Kulumbegashvili will debut her first feature Beginning / Dasatskisi, at the festival. The film narrates the harassment of a Jehovah’s Witness community attacked by an extremist group. Set in a sleepy provincial Georgian town, Yana, the community leader’s wife, struggles to make sense of her desires as her familiar world crumbles.
François Ozon (France) / Summer of 85
2012 Golden Shell winner, François Ozon returns to compete in this year’s festival with Summer of 85 / Été 85. The queer romance story explores the relationship between 16-year-old Alexis and 18-year-old David; it’s a tale of teen love impregnated with 80’s nostalgia.
Takuma Sato (Japan) / Any Crybabies Around?
Takuma Sato’s second feature Any Crybabies Around? / Nakuko wa ineega, will make its world premiere at the festival. A young father, Tasuku, flees to Tokyo after being caught drunk on national live TV in the middle of a sacred festival. He returns home after two years to redeem himself to his daughter, ex-wife, and hometown.
Thomas Vinterberg (Copenhagen) / Another Round
Thomas Vinterberg will participate in the festival with the European premiere of Another Round / Druk. This will be Vinterberg’s second time working with actor Mads Mikkelsen who stars in the film; the duo previously collaborated on Vinterberg’s The Hunt / Jagten in 2012. Another Round tells the story of Martin and his three friends, all high school teachers, who embark on an eccentric experiment to maintain a constant level of inebriation throughout their workday. If Churchill won WWII in a heavy daze of alcohol, who knows what a few drops might do for them and their students?
The San Sebastian Film Festival will continue to reveal the remaining titles in the Official Selection of its 68th edition, which is set to open on September 18th with the world premiere of Woody Allen’s latest movie, Rifkin’s Festival.
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