Z365" or "Festival all year round" is the new strategic point of the Festival in which converge investigation, accompaniment and development of new talents (Ikusmira Berriak, Nest); training and cinematic knowledge transfer (Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola, Zinemaldia + Plus, Filmmakers' dialogue); and investigation, disclosure and cinematic thought (Z70 project, Thought and Discussion and Research and publications).
In a special joint ceremony last night at the Kursaal, Benicio Del Toro first presented John Travolta with a Donostia Award before returning to hand over a special 60th Anniversary award to Oliver Stone.
Del Toro, who stars alongside Travolta in Stone’s latest film Savages, which is being screened here at San Sebastián, described Travolta as an actor that he had admired all his life, and had been lucky not only to have worked with him but also to have learned from him: “he’s synonymous with cool.”
On receiving the award Travolta thanked José Luis Rebordinos and all the volunteers at the Festival before going on to say, “To be or not be, that is the question. I’m so very happy that you chose me to be.”
However this was not just any old ceremony and Del Toro came back on stage to present Oliver Stone with a Special 60th Anniversary Award. He praised Stone as a real maestro and a bold committed filmmaker who shows reality the way it really is with no frills or lies.
In his acceptance speech Stone recalled how he had first been invited here twenty-five years ago to inaugurate the Velodrome with Salvador before an audience of 3000 people: “You gave me your hearts and it was the first time that has happened to me. I’ve made five stops here and it’s a beautiful city with beautiful people and a beautiful culture. It can’t get any better than this!”