The San Sebastian Film Festival is wrapping up for another year, and on Saturday held its closing night gala where a host of awards were up for grabs.
Among the features competing for the coveted Golden Shell award were Edward Berger’s Ballad of a Small Player, Alice Winocour’s Couture, James Vanderbilt’s Nuremberg as well as queer drama Maspalomas from Jose Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi, and Agnieszka Holland’s Franz Kafka biopic Franz.
But it was Basque drama Sundays (Los domingos) that claimed the evening’s top prize at the Spanish town’s Kursaal Theater. Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s film follows the story of Ainara, an idealistic and brilliant 17-year-old whose family hopes will soon choose a university degree. However, Ainara feels increasingly closer to God and is considering embracing the life of a cloistered nun.
Elsewhere, Joachim Lafosse’s Six Days in Spring won the Belgian filmmaker the silver shell for best director and jury prize for best screenplay. Lafosse spoke to The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the film’s premiere to discuss how it became a deeply personal project.
The Voice of Hind Rajab from Kaouther Ben Hania won the audience award. The drama reconstructs the events surrounding the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab in January 2024. Rajab, traveling by car with her four cousins and her aunt and uncle, came under fire from the Israeli military as they tried to flee Gaza City. Ben Hania’s film is based on the voice recordings between Hind Rajab and the Red Crescent volunteers who tried to keep her on the line, doing everything they can to get an ambulance to her.
Take a look at the full list of winners for the 73rd San Sebastian International Film Festival below.
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 Hearts 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
