A total of 172,301 spectators flocked to the 676 screenings of the 252 films from 53 countries at the 72nd edition of the San Sebastian Festival, translating into a rise in audience figures of 8.9% compared to the 158,194 recorded in 2023.

For the third year in a row, the Festival has surpassed its record of accredited guests, whose figures passed the 5,000 mark for the first time last year and stood at 5,314 this year, i.e. a rise of 5.8%. Almost half of this figure is accounted for by the Industry section, with 2,392 people recorded in 2024, meaning 143% more than the 984 of 2010, the year when the Festival launched its new strategy in support of the industry.

A rise has also been noted in recent years with respect to the number of journalists who cover the Festival, particularly in the case of the international press: in the last edition we were visited by 226 journalists from 202 media outlets, the equivalent of 17% and 27% more than in 2023.  

The 72nd edition encompassed two anniversaries demonstrating the importance always assigned to new voices by the San Sebastian Festival. On the one hand, 50 years ago saw the introduction of the very first New Filmmakers section, a pioneer initiative now to be found not only in today’s New Directors and Nest sections, but in the programming in all sections of first and second films, of which there were 54 at the 72nd edition, five of them in the Official Selection. On the other hand, the Ikusmira Berriak residencies celebrated their 10th anniversary, fully consolidated and with solid prestige both at home and abroad. 

The Festival is firm in its determination to continue functioning as a forum open to discussion and the exchange of ideas, all while taking care to defend a series of indisputable principles. This year it therefore took a clear-cut stance against the dismantling of the Argentine film industry while upholding freedom of expression in the face of the anti-bullfighting protests sparked by the movie Tardes de soledad / Afternoons of Solitude, directed by Albert Serra, winner of the Golden Shell. It also hosted relevant discussions drawing less media attention, such as the spontaneous testimonials following the screening of the latest film from Costa-Gavras, Le dernier souffle / Last Breath, which shed light on concern when facing both our own deaths and those of our loved ones in the best possible conditions.

The report on the 2024 Festival can be found from today on its website. As well as figures and lists of films, WIPs and programmes, the document includes reflections from the Thought & Discussion talks and others from the Filmmakers’ Dialogues organised throughout the year in collaboration with the Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea. The report also makes specific mention of the Z365 activities, otherwise known as the Festival all year round, whose numerous screenings were followed by 13,506 people.

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