73rd San Sebastian Festival - 19/27 September 2025
73SSIFF - 19/27 September 2025
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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).
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Agenda
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Film Talks
Conversations
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The opening conversation of the Film Talks section aims to establish a discussion between Francine Maisler, one of the most important casting directors in the sector with a career encompassing more than seventy feature films, and María Laura Berch, casting director and acting coach who has participated in more than two hundred Argentinian film projects since 2002. With this dialogue, the Festival aims to turn the spotlight on the profession and create a space in which to discuss the ins and outs of directing actors and the challenges faced by professionals when it comes to composing the cast for a film. The dialogue will focus on Maisler's career, with Berch's approach, experience and knowledge of the craft.
Friday 20th, September
12:00 h.
Inauguration. Public: invitations available on the Festival SSIFF website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: through the ticket booking system.
With this Film Talk, the Festival, together with Euskal Aktoreen Batasuna, wants to focus on the challenges facing the acting industry today. From the replacement of actors and actresses by influencers to hiring based on the number of followers on social networks or the search for natural actors to the potential influence of artificial intelligence on the work processes.
Friday 20th, September
18:00 h.
Public: invitations available on the Festival website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: through the ticket booking system.
American director and screenwriter Sean Baker will share his innovative and realistic approach to cinematic storytelling. Known for his portrayal of events on the margins of society, he will discuss his creative process and his commitment to authenticity in film. During this talk, Baker will explore themes such as the representation of underrepresented communities, the use of independent film as a tool for social change, and the innovative filmmaking techniques that have characterised his work, such as The Florida Project, Tangerine and the recent Palme d'Or winner at Cannes, Anora, which will also participate in the Perlak section of this year's Festival.
Saturday 21st, September
12:00 h.
Public: invitations available on the Festival website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: through the ticket booking system.
Tickets on sale from Sunday 15 September at 9am
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in true crime. Whether in fiction or documentaries, streaming content distributors see these events as a goldmine of entertainment due to the fascination they generate.
Conversations - Industria
Saturday 21st, September
17:00 h.
Public: invitations available on the Festival website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: free access with Industry and Press badge.
Tickets on sale from Sunday 15 September at 9am
Aware of the inequalities and power dynamics in the industry, the associations of women filmmakers, together with the San Sebastian Film Festival, promote new practices in audiovisual production placing priority on care, the prevention of abuse and intersectional inclusion with the aim of achieving a significant change that considers the integral wellbeing of all participants in production. This Film Talk will therefore explore the challenges of these changes and the importance of care policies to ensure a safe and respectful environment and share approaches to implementing intersectional practices that value diversity. This exchange of ideas aims to highlight current challenges and inspire concrete actions towards a more inclusive and equitable audiovisual industry for all, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation or other characteristics.
Monday 23rd, September
11:00 h.
Public: invitations available on the Festival website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: through the ticket booking system.
Tickets on sale from Monday 16 September at 9am
The French film director, critic and writer Leos Carax, winner of awards at numerous competitions with titles such as Les amants du Pont-Neuf (1991), Holy Motors (2012) and Annette (2021), returns to San Sebastian with his latest work C'est pas moi / It's Not Me, which will compete in the Zabaltegi - Tabakalera section. A medium-length film in which the filmmaker reviews, in the form of a self-portrait, more than 40 years of filmography, while questioning the main stages of his life. In this conversation with filmmaker Elena López Riera, he will share with the audience different aspects of his approach to cinema.*The session includes the screening of C'est pas moi / It's Not Me and the subsequent talk.
Conversations - Nest
Monday 23rd, September
12:30 h.
Tickets on sale from Monday 16 September at 9am
A talk focused on the representation of transmasculinity in Ibero-American cinema, aiming to share opinions and ideas on how to build a safe and inclusive film industry. Taking the experiences of professionals from the Ibero-American industry as a starting point, the conversation will centre on the strategies and changes underway today to create more inclusive and fluid perspectives. It will explore how cinematic narratives offer new viewpoints, revisiting the past and exploring new references to imagine a more inclusive future.
Conversations - Industria
Tuesday 24th, September
10:30 h.
Access with industry accreditation and free access for the public until full capacity is reached.
This conversation will address the importance of diverse and equal representation both on- and off- screen. The discussion will focus on the importance of including people with disabilities in films, creating compelling stories and characters and will attempt to answer questions such as: What are the most common mistakes when hiring a person with a disability? How to make film sets more accessible? In addition, it will examine how diversity in production, directing and screenwriting roles is crucial to ensure a more inclusive film industry. With this session, organised in collaboration with the British Film Institute, the Festival wants to turn the spotlight on the fact that greater inclusion not only enriches the stories told, but also has a positive impact on society by reflecting and validating human diversity.
Tuesday 24th, September
11:30 h.
Public: invitations available on the Festival website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: through the ticket booking system.
Tickets on sale from Monday 16 September at 9am
In this talk, James Verdesoto explores the art of creating movie posters that not only capture a film's essence but also become enduring symbols of cinematic culture. With insights from his work on iconic films like Pulp Fiction and Ocean’s Eleven, James will reveal how to distill a movie’s narrative, themes, and emotional impact into a single, striking image. Through behind-the-scenes stories from his career, James will emphasize the crucial role of aligning visual marketing with the director’s vision and the film’s tone. He will share practical advice for filmmakers, producers, and students on how to effectively collaborate with design teams to ensure that posters, trailers, and digital content accurately reflect the film and captivate the target audience.
Tuesday 24th, September
17:30 h.
Public: invitations available on the Festival website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: through the ticket booking system.
Tickets on sale from Monday 16 September at 9am
In this Conversation organised in collaboration with BIME, Antón Álvarez (C. Tangana), who opens the New Directors section with his debut film La guitarra flamenca de Yerai Cortés, will talk with Harto Rodríguez and Yerai Cortés, co-authors of the music in the film, about the influence of music on cinema and vice versa, as well as the creative process for the creation of the whole sound and music universe in the film.*The session includes the screening of La guitarra flamenca de Yerai Cortés and the subsequent talk.
Conversations - Nest
Tuesday 24th, September
15:30 h.
Tickets on sale from Monday 16 September at 9am
The non-binary American filmmaker, writer and curator presents their second feature film, I Saw the TV Glow, in Zabaltegi-Tabakalera, three years after showing their debut feature We're All Going to the World's Fair at the Sundance Festival. Already at that time they were hailed as a new voice on the independent film scene in their country. In this conversation, Schoenbrun will share the details of their creative process, their transition from film school to the world of work, as well as the universe that surrounds them and inspires their films.*The session includes the screening of I Saw the TV Glow and the subsequent talk.
Conversations - Nest
Wednesday 25th, September
15:30 h.
Tickets on sale from Monday 16 September at 9am
The ability of artificial intelligence to accurately replicate human actions and reasoning is increasingly shaping human life. This fundamental transformation directly impacts cultural industries and the regulation of image production, necessitating changes in legislation and consensus among professionals. The blend of enthusiasm and concern surrounding this technology—once a mere facilitator but now something far more significant—invites reflection on its influence on our daily lives.
Conversations - Industria
Tabakalera - Prisma
Thursday 26th, September
12:30 h.
Access with industry accreditation and free access for the public until full capacity is reached.
Laura Carreira is a Portuguese filmmaker who, after successfully releasing several short films such as Red Hill (2019), nominated for Best Short Film at the BAFTA Scotland Awards and The Shift (2020), which competed at the Venice Festival, presents her feature film debut in the Official Selection of the San Sebastian Festival, On Falling. This film talk will seek to learn first-hand about the process of making the film, as well as the possibilities that cinema has to promote change, shake consciences and foster stories that can change the way society responds to crises.*The session includes the screening of On Falling and the subsequent talk.
Conversations - Nest
Thursday 26th, September
15:30 h.
Tickets on sale from Tuesday 17 September at 9am
This conversation will explore how contemporary cinema addresses the climate crisis, not just as an apocalyptic backdrop, but as a central element shaping stories and characters. The discussion will focus on how women filmmakers are redefining traditional narratives to reflect environmental urgencies, creating a new genre or sub-genre that combines human drama with ecology. In this context, these new voices seek to move away from sensationalism and catastrophism, opting for more nuanced approaches that include stories of resilience, adaptation and the search for solutions.
Thursday 26th, September
17:30 h.
Public: invitations available on the Festival website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: through the ticket booking system.
Tickets on sale from Tuesday 17 September at 9am
John Crowley presented his first feature film, Intermission, in the New Directors section in 2003, before going on to direct Andrew Garfield in his first film, Boy A, in 2007. Twenty years later, this conversation follows the development of both careers over the years, delving into their reunion and how they went about the process of directing and acting while making the film they now present at San Sebastian, We Live in Time. Nick Payne, screenwriter of the film, will also take part in the talk, offering his view of screenwriting.
Friday 27th, September
12:00 h.
Closing. Public: invitations available on the Festival website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: through the ticket booking system.
Tickets on sale from Tuesday 17 September at 9am
In the talk New media: film and festivals in the age of social networks Diego Batlle, Director of Otroscines.com, Pepa Blanes, Head of Culture at Cadena Ser, Wendy Ide, Chief Critic at The Observer and Guy Lodge, critic at Variety, will discuss from their personal experience how they use social networks to report on film and festivals and the need or not to have a presence on them to create and maintain their prescriptive function.
Friday 27th, September
16:00 h.
Public: invitations available on the Festival website, the Zinemaldi Plaza and the Tabakalera ticket office from the day before the event. Accreditation-holders: through the ticket booking system.
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Opening hours
Monday to friday: 09:00h a 15:30h
Monday to friday: 09:00h a 15:30h
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