Albert Serra wins the Golden Shell with ‘Tardes de Solitude’ and fights the initial controversy

The documentary ‘Afternoons of Solitude’, by Catalan filmmaker Albert Serra, has won the Golden Shell at the 72nd edition of the San Sebastián Festival, which presented the Zinemaldia awards this Saturday, in an edition in which vindicated Argentine cinema, an industry that is being “destroyed” by the Government of Javier Milei.

Serra thanked the jury and the festival for having selected his film and the protagonists of ‘Afternoons of Solitude’ for their “open-mindedness” and accessibility. “It was a privilege, an honor and we must thank them that we have been able to approach that degree of intimacy, with people who are quite unique,” he stated upon receiving the award.

“The film has a genuine side that cannot be found in so many other films and that only auteur cinema, with a slightly daring character, can dare to go to the bottom of any issue, including this one,” he defended.

The filmmaker has fought the initial controversies surrounding the film since, for example, the animal rights party PACMA accused the production of “humanizing a violent practice” and asked for its withdrawal. In his documentary, Serra accompanies the bullfighter Roca Rey in his duel with five bulls, during several tasks in which we also see what his round trips with his team are like.

The actress Itziar Ituño and the actor Malcolm Treviño-Sitté were in charge of presenting the closing gala, both in Basque and Spanish, which took place at the Kursaal Conference Center in San Sebastián. The event started punctually at 9:00 p.m.

In the category for best lead performance, the award went to Patricia López Arnaiz for her performance in ‘Los flashes’, by Pilar Palomero, who was one of the main candidates for the Golden Shell. “Pilar Palomero is a great, I want to value his talent. He deserves to be sharing this award,” he stated when receiving the award.

The Silver Shell for best supporting performance went to Pierre Lottin, for ‘When Autumn Falls’, which addresses toxic family relationships, especially those between mothers and their children. A film that also won the jury prize for best screenplay, for the work of its director François Ozon.

In this edition, an award has been granted ‘ex aequo’, as has been the case in recent years. Thus, the jury has decided to award the Silver Shell for Best Direction to ‘On Falling’, by Laura Carreira, who in her debut film has made a social portrait that explores the struggle to find meaning in life, and ‘El Lnto ‘, by Pedro Martín Calero starring Ester Expósito, which reflects the scourge of sexist violence. “This issue is a central issue in our society, for which we are all responsible,” he said.

On the other hand, the Special Jury Prize has selected ‘The last showgirl’, by Gia Coppola and starring Pamela Anderson, who plays an experienced dancer who must plan her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year career; and the Jury Prize for best photography went to ‘Bound in heaven’, by Chinese filmmaker Xin Huo, which tells the story of a terminally ill man and a woman trapped by violence.

In total there have been 16 films that have participated in the competition and have been screened since last Friday, September 20 in San Sebastián, when the competition opened with the erotic ‘Emmanuelle’ by Audrey Diwan.

CLAIMS AGAINST THE POLICIES OF ARGENTINA AND IRAN

In addition to the aforementioned awards, the Latin Horizons have been awarded to the Argentine ‘El jockey’, by Luis Ortega and starring Nahuel Pérez Biscayart and Úrsula Corberó. The Argentine actor has praised national cinema and recalled that the films of that country have always had the help of the INCAA (National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts).

“This award shows once again that Argentine cinema moves, is liked, is exported and not only that, it adds value, attracts investments and leaves money in the country. The government only sees things with mercantilist eyes,” he indicated when collecting the prize.

Nahuel Pérez Biscayart has assured that the government chaired by Javier Milei is “determined” to carry out a “plan to destroy the national industry and with that it takes away the national culture and Argentine cinema.” “They think they are very scoundrels and militants of freedom, but behind that hatred they profess there is no freedom, only loneliness. They may try, but they are not going to destroy us nor are they going to erase our memories or future. Know that all the love that What causes us to get together to film our country’s films will be stronger than all contempt,” he cried.

Precisely, the presenters of the gala have recalled that this edition of the San Sebastián Festival has been marked by support for Argentine cinema. The cinematographic event has hosted 16 films produced totally or partially in Argentina, to which must be added nine projects with Argentine participation in the different sections of the industry.

“The festival wants to remind the world that once again cinema becomes an act of defiance and resistance against those who want to end culture,” said Malcolm Treviño-Sitté, who gave way to some images and a video , among whom Ricardo Darín could be seen giving his support to the cinema of his country.

As for the City of Donostia Audience Award, the film with the highest score was ‘Por todo lo alto’, by Emmanuel Courcol, while the Audience Award for Best European film went to ‘The seed of the sacred fig’ , by Mohammad Rasoulof, being a German, French and Iranian production.

The award was collected by the Iranian actress Masha Rasoulof, who pointed out that the award is more valuable because it comes from the public and celebrated that they had awarded a film “with so much effort and so many limitations in Iran.” “My country is in a very difficult moment and with many restrictions,” he lamented.

REST OF AWARDS

In the Zabaltegui-Tabakalera category, the film ‘April’, by Dea Kulumbegashvilli, was selected, and the New Directors award went to ‘Bagger Drama’, by Piet Baumgartner.

The film ‘All we imagine as light’, by Indian director Payal Kapaldia, has received the TVE/Otra Mirada Award. Furthermore, the Irizar Basque Cinema Award went to ‘Chaplin, gypsy spirit’, by Carmen Chaplin.

JURY

The jury of the Official Section – which awards the Golden Shell, the three Silver Shells and the awards for best script and photography – was made up of director Jaione Camborda, the last winner of the Golden Shell for ‘O Corno’, the Argentine writer and journalist Leila Guerriero, the actor Fran Kranz, the Greek director Christos Nikou, the Austrian filmmaker Ulrich Seidl and the French producer Carole Scotta.

The awards that were presented tonight are added to the honorary recognitions of this edition: the Donostia Prize received by Pedro Almodóvar, Javier Bardem and Cate Blanchett.

The festival has featured Hollywood personalities such as Johnny Depp, Andrew Garfield, Monica Bellucci and the filmmaker Edward Berger.