San Sebastián’s 74th film festival launches with Brad Pitt’s new film and Naomi Watts receiving overdue recognition. Major directors like Mike Leigh and Fatih Akin join the race for the Concha de Oro. Spanish cinema faces new dynamics after Cannes.
The 74th San Sebastián Film Festival opened with a curious imbalance: Brad Pitt is the most talked-about guest, but the festival’s top honorary award, the Premio Donostia, will not go to him. Organizers haven’t explained the decision, even as Pitt and his new survival film, "El corazón de la bestia," draw most of the early attention. Pitt’s arrival, with a canine co-star, brought back memories of the fan frenzy during his 2009 visit for "Malditos Bastardos," setting a high bar for celebrity buzz.
While Pitt’s absence from the award list stands out, the other major honors are more straightforward. Werner Herzog, now 84, receives the Premio Donostia for his long career, which recently returned to fiction with "Bucking Fastard" after years of documentary work. Herzog’s recognition is notable, since the award usually goes to actors who light up the Kursaal’s red carpet. Naomi Watts, meanwhile, finally gets her due after her acclaimed but unawarded performance in "Promesas del este" at the 2007 festival. This year’s honor is seen as making up for that oversight.
The official opening of the 74th San Sebastián Film Festival is scheduled for September 18, 2026, with Fatih Akin's "Geister / Ghost Song" as the opening film.
The race for the Concha de Oro is tight, with 17 films competing. Jesse Eisenberg, coming off his Oscar-nominated role in "A Real Pain," brings "El debut," starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giammati. Mike Leigh, known for his sharp takes on Thatcher-era Britain and a Palme d’Or winner for "Secretos y mentiras," enters with "Tender Loving Care." Leigh’s recent announcement of a serious autoimmune illness gives his latest film the feeling of a possible farewell.
Pablo Larraín presents "Mis muertos tristes," based on Mariana Enríquez’s stories from "Un lugar soleado para gente sombría," with gothic elements and a standout performance from Mercedes Morán. Benjamín Naishat, who has already won twice at San Sebastián for "Rojo" and "Puán," returns with "Glaxo," a moral thriller set deep in Argentina. Fatih Akin, who has won Berlin’s Oso de Oro for "Contra la pared" and picked up prizes at Cannes and Venice, opens the festival with "Ghost Song," a love story that crosses the line between life and death.
According to official festival communications and coverage by RTVE Play and Deadline, Naomi Watts and Werner Herzog are the confirmed recipients of the Donostia Award in 2026, with Watts receiving her honor during a special gala screening of "The Housewife" on September 19. The festival also highlights an exceptionally star-studded guest list this year, including Penélope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Jesse Eisenberg, Orlando Bloom, and Rami Malek, making the 74th edition one of the most high-profile in recent memory.
Spanish cinema’s place at San Sebastián is complicated this year. Cannes picked up not only Almodóvar’s latest but also Sorogoyen’s and, importantly, "La bola negra," which has gained momentum since its success at Cannes and is now Spain’s official Oscar submission for best foreign language film. The pre-release screening of "La bola negra" in San Sebastián is drawing more attention than the three Spanish films actually competing for the Concha de Oro.
Those three contenders are not household names. Javier Ruiz Caldera, known for his comedies, presents "Cinco minutos más," written with frequent collaborator Berto Romero. Mikel Gurrea, who made his debut at the festival with "Suro," returns with "Sants," a drama about the black market for religious images, starring Vicky Luengo and Ariadna Gil. Roberto Bueso’s "El mal padre" is a riskier pick, led by Eduard Fernández.
This year’s lineup shows how the landscape for Spanish cinema is shifting. With Cannes taking the season’s most anticipated Spanish films, San Sebastián’s competition is more open to surprises and new discoveries. This could weaken the festival’s traditional role as the main showcase for Spanish cinema, or it could give a boost to emerging filmmakers. With international stars in attendance and overdue honors for Naomi Watts and Werner Herzog, San Sebastián still draws both established and rising talent from around the world.
