San Sebastian International Film Festival ( Festival Internacional de Cine de Donostia-San Sebastián ) is one of the most respected cinematic forums in the world and one of the largest cultural events in Spain. It is considered the most prestigious competition in the Spanish-speaking world and the fourth most important in Europe after Cannes, Berlin and Venice.
For more than half a century, starting in 1953, the IFF in the Spanish city of San Sebastian has been held annually for 9 days in the second half of September, completing the season of large international film festivals. That is why the San Sebastian Film Festival is rightfully considered one of the oldest and most significant in Europe.
The festival arose back in the time of Franco, and its birthday is considered September 21, 1953. In the first year of its existence, it was called international filmmakers, and already in 1957 it was categorized as « heavyweights », which today, in addition to it, includes the Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Moscow festivals.
Currently, according to the rules of the film forum, the premiere of the paintings included in its program takes place on festival days. Usually there are about 25 films in the competition program. Within the framework of the festival, in addition to the competition program, other films of various directors from different countries are also shown.
The main events and ceremonies of the IFF are held at the Kursaal Congress Palace, and competitive and non-competitive paintings are shown in more than 20 cinemas of the city. The interest of the audience in the San Sebastian Film Festival is huge, about 100 thousand people visit it annually.
Evaluates the paintings of the jury of the festival, which includes famous actors, directors and cultural figures. The highest awards of the San Sebastian Film Festival are « Golden Wink » ( Golden Shell, for the best film ) and « Silver sink » ( Silver Shell ), which is awarded in several nominations <TA, « Best Actress », « Best Actor », « Best Performance », « Best Scenario ».
In addition to the main prizes, there are several more prestigious prizes, including the « Dostia » Donatia Lifetime Achievement Award (, the International Film Critics Federation Award ) Fipresci (, Special Jury Prize, Audience Award ( TCM Audience Award ).
During the existence of the IFF in San Sebastian, many names – such as Francis Ford Coppola ( Golden sink of 1969 for « Rain People » ) and Nikita Mikhalkov ( Golden sink 1977 for « Unfinished play for mechanical piano » ). Also, European premieres of such legendary paintings as « Star Wars », « Batman » ( Tim Burton ), « Legend Zorro » ( with Antonio Banderas ), «.
In different years, such famous cinema figures as Alfred Hitchcock, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Stephen Spielberg, Al Pacino, Michael Douglas, Anthony Hopkins, Robert de Niro, Bernardo Bertolucci received prizes here, Julia Roberts, Roman Polanski, Nikita Mikhalkov, Andrey Konchalovsky, Emil Lotyanu, Georgy Danelia, Bogdan Shlame, Lu Chuan, Francois Ozon, Christoph Honore, Jaim Rosales, Rashid Masharavi, David Greco and many others.
International Film Festival in San Sebastian – event is truly interesting. He is also appreciated for his benevolent atmosphere and orientation towards the search for new talents and names, and not to the exhibition of already held stars. The ratio of traditions and new art – is the main line of this film festival, one of the influential film forums in Europe.