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).
The surprise film at the San Sebastian Festival’s 70th edition is Blonde, the portrait of Marilyn Monroe based on the book of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates. The screening of the film, to run this Saturday 24 at 19:00 in the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, will be attended by its leading lady, the actress Ana de Armas, together with its director, Andrew Dominik.
Produced by Plan B’s Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Brad Pitt and fresh from competition in the official selection of the Venice Festival, Blonde is the latest work from Andrew Dominik, maker of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Ford, Killing them Softly and This Much I Know To Be True. His take on the figure of Marilyn Monroe based on the story of Joyce Carol Oates explores the difference between the public and private persona of the mythical North American actress.
The career of its protagonist, the Cuban-Spanish actor Ana de Armas, already features a number of iconic roles in films such as Blade Runner 2049 (Denis Villeneuve, 2017), Knives Out (Rian Johnson, 2019), Wasp Network (Olivier Assayas, 2019, Donostia Award Screening) and No Time To Die (Cary Joji Fukunaga, 2021).
The surprise film is sponsored by the real estate developer and builder from Gipuzkoa, Antiguo Berri.
Based on the bestselling novel by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde boldly reimagines the life of one of Hollywood's most enduring icons, Marilyn Monroe. From her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane, through her rise to stardom and romantic entanglements, Blonde blurs the lines of fact and fiction to explore the widening split between her public and private selves.