“Through animation filled with poetry, Kamura illustrates the protagonist’s struggles with her identity and, making use of light and shadow, creates a delicate portrait of a young woman in the process of self-discovery.” U.A.L, BERRIA

“With the help of the beautiful landscapes of Hokkaido, this film leads us to an appreciation of food and to a respect for the rhythms of nature.” Uxue Arzelus Lasa, BERRIA

“Outstanding for the construction of the atmosphere and the delicate and tender way of portraying a world that is falling apart.” Luis Martínez, EL MUNDO

“Ulysses is a quiet film, and it moves forward slowly, giving each thing the time it needs.” Itziar Ugarte Irizar, BERRIA

“It is a panic that cuts the viewer to the quick every second of the 212 minutes spread over the four episodes with which Alauda Ruiz de Azúa confirms herself as one of the leading filmmakers of her generation.” Luis Martínez, EL MUNDO

“Almodóvar coats the essentials of his story with the best of his visual taste, with delicate and delineated settings and with his special eye for combining space and feelings, so that the narrative reverberates with ideas that take you back to Joyce or bring moods strongly reminiscent of Edward Hopper.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“Nothing and everything explains her state of mind. A tension very much of our time and with which we can identify.” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The charisma in the gymnastic torsion of Pansy’s insults and the elastic sense of the plot itself, which stretches out her unhinged state while revealing the emotional ruptures behind the events, are perfectly in tune with a film structured ‘like life itself’, that is to say, conceiving the family as a sum of tangible, immanent links.” Mariona Borrull, GARA

“He has made a chaotic film, full of ideas – too many of them. But far from backfiring, the result is a delirious audiovisual ‘trip’, baroque at times, deformed and tacky, and deliciously erratic.” Borja Crespo, EL CORREO

“Francis Ford Coppola may have fired his last arrows in this visually unrepeatable neoclassical, ambitious, free – absolutely free – and progressive fable in which the lines of the architecture of imperial Rome blend with the angles drawn by the DC comics authors.”  Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO.

“Elegant and lucid consideration of life and death, the siege of illness and the palliative solutions that make it possible to cross this frontier in a natural way and without being pushed or tormented when it is inevitable.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“It is an intense film, narrated without a faltering moment by a master who is not afraid to advocate euthanasia.” Oskar Belategui, EL CORREO

“Everything is so musical, human, joyful and fun, everything is so attached to real things and the vagaries of life, that you come out happy and whistling Ravel’s ‘Bolero’.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“Hats off to the photography from the beginning of the film to the end.” U.U. BERRIA

“It stands out as much for its beautiful aesthetics as for its cold characters. Visual delicacy of the highest order in a production whose photography is worthy of an award.” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARO VASCO

“Like the main characters, I felt as if I was sitting in front of the television as I did when I was a child, trapped by its light and without fully understanding what was happening, but unable to look away.” Uxue Arzelus Lasa, BERRIA

“A film that could be assigned to the horror genre, but the highlighting of socially sensitive issues such as feminicide and male violence against women magnifies its importance and frees it from being easily pigeonholed.” M. Moleón, LA RAZÓN

“A film that tells a minimal story around which great existential themes quietly orbit.” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“The script dispenses with winding twists and turns to captivate the viewer, and moves forward fluidly in the simplicity of its approach.” U.U., BERRIA

“A possible candidate for one of those surprises in the awards that this festival enjoys so much.” Oti Rodriguez Marchante, ABC

“Lively fun based on a tale of visiting extraterrestrials, skilfully told by Lerman”, Urtzi Urkizu, BERRIA

“The use of wide angles that deform the image and the charisma of Leonardo Sbaraglia, capable of making us feel surprise, compassion, rejection and sympathy for a blatant manipulator all at the same time”, Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A story that, without you understanding what is going on, manages to completely capture you.” Uxue Arzelus Lasa, BERRIA

“Leaves on the screen the purity of his images without written script, the only text provided by the scenes themselves, and the suspicion that this meeting of liturgies between bullring, bull and bullfighter has never been filmed as he has done it.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“Kapadia constructs the story through the eyes of women who question what seems unquestionable in a Bombay in constant change and which at times seems suffocating, demonstrating that struggling together eases the load.” U.A.L, BERRIA

“It is a one hundred per cent festival film, tremendously risky (...). It immerses the spectator for almost two and a half hours in a unique, bittersweet, emotional and desolate, indefinable ambience, which can irritate or move, or even both at the same time.” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Fascinating contrivance populated by fabulous beings.” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A great rarity, one of those films that undresses you on the inside with an astonishing delicacy”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“An intimate, simple proposal about love between people, about care, about the end of life … And a ray of light yesterday for public and critics alike”, Martín Ruiz Egaña, EL DIARIO VASCO

“It is a formidable film in all its questions and uncertainties, an exercise in cinema sustained by blind trust in a simple look, in a fleeting brightness, in the quiet, sotto voce reading of Platero and I by Juan Ramón”, Luis Martínez, EL MUNDO

“A fascinating story in which no one will get bored.” O. Belategui, EL CORREO

“Andrea Arnold has a sixth sense for handling a hypnotic mixture of social and magical realism at the edge of more than one precipice”, Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A skilful strategy of revenge, with its suspense and its blind spots.” I. Mateo – A. Artola, GARA

“The director narrates the details of the event in an extraordinarily thorough way and without the slightest temptation to take the story away from Nevenka’s point of view, exploring the pain of the victim and her path to catharsis with great sensitivity”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“It presents the chronology of the details of the case and establishes a chilling portrait of the in crescendo abusive obsession of Álvarez, of how the patterns that determine the exercise of harassment operate and fluctuate”, Marta Moleón, LA RAZÓN

“An intelligent and highly entertaining game of power, ambitions and danger”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“A beautiful fable, full of grace and sharp teeth, which aims to tear things apart but to surprise and entertain even more”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“Good French film noir. Heir to the great French ‘polar’ films of past decades. Brought up to date. Very up to date”, Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Advances at speed, balancing on the edge of the abyss and buoyed by a powerful screenplay”, Fabien Lemercier, CINE EUROPA

“The eroticism of the film does not lie in the explicit, but in the texture that runs through the film and its sound direction, which makes the skin tingle with something like ASMR vibrations in order to convey to the audience the pleasure felt by the protagonist (…)”, Harri X. Fernández, DEIA

“Starring an imposing and sensual Noémie Merlant in the role of a woman who is apparently rigid, confident, with a certain irony, but with that latent eroticism, visceral inside, (...) the film manages to reflect with subtlety, courage and great visual power that female exploration of pleasure and desire” Júlia Olmo, CINE EUROPA

“It is musical, drama, intrigue, thriller and a deep reflection on transition”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“In a quite legitimate and noble way, Emilia Pérez plunders all the usual ingredients of the traditional soap opera from top to bottom, starting with an implausible plot, followed by unexpected twists, improbable coincidences and some vulgar songs, to end with high drama. The ingredients are first class and the mixture of them all is right on target”, Alberto Moyano, EL DIARIO VASCO

“It is a curious artifact that offers much more than you first expect: it is presented as a documentary about the gypsy guitarist but, in the style of the film Searching For Sugar Man, it gradually uncovers an exciting and impactful family secret” Mitxel Ezquiaga, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The director tells this family story in a moving way. It is touching to see how he explores and narrates all this intimacy through the testimonies of its protagonists and their environment, their voices, their words, their ways of speaking, their contrasting memories.” Júlia Olmo, CINE EUROPA

“Mati Diop, who claims to be indebted to Weerasethakul or Cassavetes, summons not only the real spirits but also the ghosts of colonization”, Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A film where everything is endings: friendship, love, film, memory, except precisely the latter, which is not an end but a beginning, the announcement of something we can't see, nor know, but we feel that the images on the screen leave the whole universe in order”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“Only The Javis are capable of mixing terror and sectarian fanaticism, the drama of a mother who devours her offspring and Almodóvar's costumbrism. If the seven hours of 'The Messiah' were a film, we would be looking at a Golden Shell”, O. Belategui, El Correo.

“The drama permeates everything, but so does love and respect for people who we empathise immediately, thanks the excellent writing and, above all, the enormous commitment of the entire cast.”, Miguel González, Cineuropa.

“Everything runs with admirable precision according to the extremely complex structure proposed", Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“Mamántula goes far beyond its chaotic initial proposal and transforms into an experience that is as groundbreaking as it is entertaining, combining the best of experimental film's imaginary with the tension of a narrative thriller", M. G. Rebolledo, La Razón.

“The ability of the Japanese filmmaker to create with little and only use what is essential is amazing: every word is necessary to build the characters, every character is necessary for the development of the story, and there is nothing to spare, nothing is ornamental.” Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“The effect is beautifully restful – less an introduction than an overture – as though Hamaguchi is unstoppering a bottle of calming scent and inviting us to breathe deep.” Jessica Kiang, Variety.

“The great virtue of Tzu Hui and Ping-Wen’s film lies in the deliberately small scale they have taken as a reference, which allows them to skilfully employ a bouquet of simple and clear ideas.” Mariona Borrull, Gara.

“Campillo accurately captures the eloquence of the silences and glances, and the infinite sadness hidden behind an apparently banal family photo.” Nando Salvà, El Periódico.

“With a formal neatness and the darkness of a thriller, The Successor surprises us as the protagonist breaks down, fleeing from the human gaze of his father’s friend, of the neighbour, and the eyes of society in general, which watch him and misinterpret his disconsolate crying.” Itziar Altuna, El Diario Vasco.

“A psychological thriller on the verge of being a slasher, in the style of those films in which the villains meet their match, such as Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof (2007) or Craig Zobel’s The Hunt (2020).” Harri X. Fernández, Noticias de Gipuzkoa.

“A beautiful story full of sorority.” Urtzi Urkizu, Berria.

“A touching portrayal of a genuinely feminine form of solidarity and the kind of survival story that can keep is on the edge of our seats as we watch it.” Nando Salvà, El Periódico.

“Camborda presents motherhood and childbirth in a personal way, focusing on the female body and using intuition for support.” Iraitz Mateo and Amalur Artola, Gara.

“It follows that ‘traditional’ style of rural intimist cinema that in recent years has constantly driven Spanish cinematography to draw visual maps composed of embraces between women, shared pain and territories of hope in which it is not only possible to imagine a different life but also to live it.” Marta Moleón, La Razón.

“It couldn’t have been more enjoyable getting into the fun and games of this world that is incomprehensible to me, to enjoy the discomfort. The Swedish filmmaker makes the humour even easier, sometimes adding an aura of mystery.” Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“Larsson builds a story with a nice balance of surreal and very identifiable situations, including sofas, beds and dressers.” Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“Coixet has taken the liberty of modifying the literary original, giving it a braver dimension and providing a restorative conclusion to a story that's harsh to a fault, making the viewer feel simultaneously uncomfortable and astonished”, Alfonso Rivera, Cineuropa.

“Un amor is built around the emptiness and uncertainty of its central character whose only escape plan is to run.” Luis Martínez, El Mundo.  

“Is just what it claims to be, a small, honest film, at times moving and beautiful; a journey through the life of a character who could have been famous but chose not to be, and beyond that, a film about how we become the people we are”, Dario Caruso, Cineuropa.

“Alemania is not a sad film; on the contrary, it is –narrated from an adolescent perspective – a love letter to her family, a celebration of resistance, affection and resilience that unfolds during a time prior to the digital revolution, when cassette tapes were a vehicle used to pass on songs, emotions and feelings”, Alfonso Rivera, Cineuropa.

“The film is a delight, with situations full of humour and depth, skilful handling of ‘clever’ dialogue and a cynical and stimulating development.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“Puan is a film with a frenetic pace and a story well told by the directors. The dialogue is also spot on throughout.” Urtzi Urkizu, Berria

“Rejtman places his protagonist in a series of comic situations that he always resolves with a humorous but deadpan wisecrack, in the style of Jim Jarmusch and Aki Kaurismäki, who, by the way, he is quite as good as.” Mariona Borrull, Gara.

“Once the film is over, A Silence leaves us still thinking about what the images have shown us. This is something that only happens with a good script, which the film has, in addition to the skill of the director.” Urtzi Urkizu, Berria

“A very human chronicle of the gradual loss of consciousness and memory, safety pinned to mutual and loving feelings.” Oti Rodriguez Marchante, ABC.

“It is narrated with a meticulous treatment of images and words that could be described as exquisite.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“Embraces, tears and a background sound of rain and occasional thunder contribute to creating the special atmosphere of the film.” Alberto Moyano, El Diario Vasco.

“A delicacy, precision and taste for stopped time that captivates.” Luís Martínez, El Mundo.

“There are films whose existence is a miracle, and ‘Sultana’s Dream’ is one of them.” Oskar Belategui, El Correo.

“The aesthetic and sensory aspects of ‘Sultana’s Dream’ are outstanding. It is refreshing to immerse oneself in the watercolours of its two-dimensional animation, with the minimum use of technology so as not to lose the meticulous care of its craftsmanship.” Mikel G. Gurpegui

“No film in recent years has even come close to the freedom with which Isabel Herguera presents this kind of intimate, fantastical and philosophical correspondence.” Mariona Borrull, Gara.

“Gálvez and his team literally ‘erect’ a world with a very fairy-like, phantasmagorical and diabolical nature.” Begoña Teso, El Correo.

“Dolores Fonzi’s amusing debut film is filled with freshness and talent, built on the possible kinds of families and enlivened with hits from The Velvet Underground & Nico”, Alfonso Rivera, Cine Europa.

“It is a film shot with a great deal of respect, from a close and affectionate point of view, and attempting not to dramatise.” Amalur Artola, Gara.

“A film full of knowledge, character and expression, also suspense, humour and a hard look at what's serious, and something that could be defined as elegance within the genre of animation”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“In a mystery and the injustice of that mystery, where the film takes hold to surprise, hurt and, in spite of everything, marvel”, Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“It uses small elements of science fiction to narrate the experiences of a love triangle with some dark humour”, Alex Zubiria, Deia.

“Brave from the opening scene in some formal choices and in the development of the script. A circular story”, Urtzi Urkizu, Berria.

“When everything seems to have been said, it's nice for a film to tell something different or in a different way. In that sense, Kalak manages to surprise the audience”, Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco Especial. 

“Perfect Days turns out to be a surprisingly charming, haunting, moving work with deliberate echoes of Japanese cinema legend Yasujiro Ozu.”, Stephen Dalton, The Film Verdict.

“A way of making, understanding and enjoying animated films with a unique visual and spiritual style.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“Miyazaki’s film can be seen as a fable about life, death and imagination, which may also have an autobiographical tone.” Ainhoa Sarasola, Berria.

“It will appeal to children and adults alike because it speaks of primal feelings such as orphanhood.” Oskar Belategui, El Correo.

“Bayona’s film, with its impressive accident scenes and locations, is more interested in the soul than in the flesh and blood.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“Delicate and diabolical architecture of everyday life.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco Especial

“Overwhelming drama that represents a departure from the typical registers we usually associate with films that address the extermination camps created by the Third Reich.” Koldo Landaluze, Gara

“A demonstration of both formal correctness and aesthetic timelessness,” Juan Zapater, Noticias de Gipuzkoa.

“The most complex and courageous Spanish film [at the festival]”, Elsa Fernández-Santos, El País.

“The premiere of Black is Beltza II: Ainhoa has turned out to be the most popular, clamorous and exciting event at Zinemaldia”, Amaia Ereñaga, Gara.

“An audacious film where fiction and reality come together to shine a light on issues rarely explored in contemporary auteur cinema”, Cristobal Soage, Cineuropa.

“A story overflowing with humour”, Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“Many directors would give their right eye to be able to list three or four scenes in their filmography worthy of comparison with some of those seen in this film”, Federico Marín Bellón, ABC.

“A hyperbolic symphony of pain, infections, surgery, autopsies, vomiting, tumours, sex, people who feed on plastics, organs and neo-organs (...)”, Jordi Batlle, La Vanguardia.

“Subtle and magnificent”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“It is simply a story about the very possibility of stories, about who dictates them, about their political sense, and about their ability to create the world”, Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“It is, above all, a pure film and splendidly experimental. Because that is what He (in capital letters) – Bowie – was”, Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“It’s a story one could imagine Vittorio De Sica telling about the age of economic injustice”, Owen Gleiberman, Variety.

“A visual and literary poem”, Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“A film full of intimate intrigues and with two enormous characters”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“A very brave and refined film that dares to tackle a subject whose true source of discomfort is not in the obvious”, Elsa Fernández-Santos, El País.

“Laura Mora shows a steady hand capable of relating social dramas”, Andoni Imaz, Berria.

“A chilling essay in hard social realism (...), the film is uncompromisingly bleak and boldly executed”, Jonathan Romney, Screen Daily.

“From the first scene, it has something special", Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“Palomero films the experiences and testimonies of the young women with great sensitivity”, Andoni Imaz, Berria.

“A volcanically tempestuous film destined to mark the year”, Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“Abramovich peers with curiosity into the world of pornography and the inner self of an elusive character”, Mariona Borrull, Gara.

“This is the work of a virtuoso”, Andoni Imaz, Berria.

“A true emotional apotheosis”, Mariona Borrull, Gara.

“A witty subversion of biopic and costume-drama clichés”, Jessica Kiang, Variety.

“Baumeister’s film offers us images full of textures”, Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“Built around a brilliant screenplay, Spare Keys spins its web methodically, revealing great intricacy behind its straightforward façade”, Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa.

“The gravity and forcefulness of Suro, Mikel Gurrea’s first feature film, are impressive”, Andoni Imaz, Berria.

“The French filmmaker gives his best in a very personal, touching and emotionally just film, a revelation for its young star Paul Kircher”, Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa.

“He does not build his narrative discourse based on the anachronistic perspective of condescension, but on the warm and mature empathy of someone who has also been young”, Marta Moleón, La Razón.

“An admired and fascinating declaration of a passion for music”, Juan Zapater, Noticias de Gipuzkoa.

“This cutting, acidic and frenetic French documentary provokes astonishment, rage and impotence”, Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco.

“Mesa very tenderly combines the two worlds, the real and the fantastic, the eternal and the new”, Uxue Arzelus, Berria. 

“A credible, no-frills adaptation which cuts to the chase (the high price which must be paid by free female spirits) and whose actress embodies the lead role brilliantly”, Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa.

“Canonical, classic and unhurried cinema. Cinema scripted with the virtuosity of a goldsmith”, Juan Zapater, Noticias de Gipuzkoa.

“It does not shout at us or use provocative images, as some expected, but uses unerring cinematographic art to appeal to us and question things that we would prefer not to think about”, Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco.

“Disturbingly beautiful from the very first scene”, Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“The enormous, troubling, intricately pessimistic R.M.N. from director Cristian Mungiu, probably the pre-eminent filmmaker of the Romanian New Wave, is little less than a pared-back state of the nation”, Jessica Kiang, Variety.

“A thoroughly crafted documentary that shows the singer-songwriter in all his depth and dimensions”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“This film by Rosales has countless hallmarks of great cinema, from the use of time and ellipsis, to the treatment of light, moods and the balance of the pulses and impulses (…)”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“It’s played with a remarkable attention to emotional truthfulness, embodied primarily in a captivating, sometimes wrenching, and always relatable central performance by Ana Castillo”, Jonathan Holland, Screen Daily.

“Lerman takes the public on a roller coaster ride in which what seems to be a new version of the world of classrooms and adolescence darkens until pedagogy merges with survival”, Juan Zapater, Noticias de Gipuzkoa.

“We see the screen turn into a succession of paintings, beautiful still shots of a pictorial nature, compositions that accentuate the atmosphere of loneliness, sadness and weariness that permeates the film”, Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco.

“The characters speak through images more than with words”, Andoni Imaz, Berria.

“The work of Ricardo Darín and Peter Lanzani are among the outstanding achievements of this Hollywoodesque production whose style is reminiscent of films such as Spotlight”, Koldo Landaluze, Gara.

“This is a work of great importance that will leave its mark on the history of audiovisual art”, Urtzi Urkizu, Berria.

“The film works superbly as a daguerreotype of a society and of a time, taken in a prison, and as a metaphor for an entire society that is struggling to break through to freedom and show its face”, Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“Rodriguez pulls off the unexpected feat of making this caged drama visually impressive”, Fionnuala Halligan, Screen Daily.

“A story that appeals both to nostalgia and to anger and that discusses what has been given and draws attention to what has been lost”, Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“For me, Ozon is pure Fassbinder.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“Guzmán’s new documentary is recommended for any viewer with a critical spirit”, Urtzi Urkizu, Berria.

“The latest from Guzmán exudes good cinema, rooted in the struggle”, Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“In the short film Cuerdas we also perceive a sincere critical spirit, both in the vision of its author and in the performance of many of its protagonists”, Urtzi Urkizu, Berria.

“La Fortuna is as well made as one would expect with an Amenábar production.” Oskar Belategui, El Correo.

“[Jessica Chastain] carries the film and succeeds in giving an incredible character portrayal without degenerating into parody.” Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco.

“The worlds of Paco Plaza and Carlos Vermut happily collide in a hair-raising film which also encourages us to think about the fleeting nature of beauty, along with loneliness and the high price we sometimes pay for success.” Cristóbal Soage, Cineuropa.

“This unusual and melancholic film by an almost novice director is a striking aesthetic exercise.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“Images from the archive and present-day voices have taken us all the way to the wild side, and grabbing us by the lapel rather than leading us by the hand.” Harkaitz Cano, El Diario Vasco.

“In the hands of this talented director, a story fixed in a very specific place and time, with a very unconventional hero, becomes a compelling tale of universal relevance that speaks of the experience of millions of young people all around the world.” Cristóbal Soage, Cineuropa.

“Saito reflects his love for gastronomy in a spectacular way.” Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“A ticklishly fascinating rise-and-fall saga.” Owen Gleiberman, Variety.

“A solid biopic in which Showalter highlights what interests him most: the paradoxes and contradictions of a hopelessly unhinged and unhinging society.” Juan Zapater, Noticias de Gipuzkoa. 

“One of the most powerful genre films of the season.” Víctor Esquirol, Gara.

“The director succeeds in going up a level from his previous work.” Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“A simply stunning film that makes being in a cinema among strangers a new and more powerful experience, as we share the intense emotions evoked by watching a group of such likeable humans bare their most intimate selves in the name of cinematic art.” Cristóbal Soage, Cineuropa.

“Trueba achieves something magnificent, authentic. A living document.” Mikel Zumeta, Berria.

“In three and a half hours that seem like the blink of an eye, the film narrates our entire lives.” Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“A fine dramatic exercise.” David Katz, Cineuropa.

“The atmosphere, story, use of suggestion and the music are wonderful, and the performance of Benedict Cumberbatch is prodigious.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“Three hours of pure cinema.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“Manuel Martín Cuenca marks his return with an exciting film.” Mikel Zumeta, Berria.

“The Daughter is a thriller in the best tradition of Spanish cinema in the style of Miguel Picazo, Manuel Mur Oti or Furtivos by José Luis Borau.” Beatriz Martínez, El Periódico.

“The filmmaker is continuing his fascinating mission of reproducing the complexity of real life via a highly immersive and ultra-researched, filmic fiction style.” Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa.

“With icy precision it illuminates this French Watergate in the always slippery world of drug trafficking and economic power.” Juan Zapater, Noticias de Gipuzkoa.

“The overall result rises up into a tightly-woven plot in which social criticism, family drama and supernatural terror join forces to create a tale so hypnotic that you cannot take your eyes off it.” Cristóbal Soage, Cineuropa.

“Merino presents an intimate, placid and close-up portrait.” Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“Its genius, power and grimly comic atmosphere lie precisely in its savage critique of neoliberalism’s ethically dubious machinations, its bondage and its hierarchies, raising a torrent of laughter thanks to sublime dialogue and jokes that would be the envy of Groucho Marx.” Alfonso Rivera, Cineuropa.

“León de Aranoa presents us with a select work – dynamic, cultivated in terms of content and extremely humorous – in a carnivalesque acting choreography, a masquerade.” Mikel Zumeta, Berria.

“A very interesting debut.” Mikel Zumeta, Berria.

“An unpredictable, intelligent and ambitious film... one of the most satisfying ensembles in this cinephile event.” Víctor Esquirol, Gara.

“[Claire Simon’s] brand of transgression and bravery is more compelling than ever, as Simon’s imagery evokes thoughts and feelings as honest as they are unsettling.” Cristóbal Soage, Cineuropa.

“Hilarious in its portrayal of characters, both familiar and eccentric, and very emotional in the humour and drama it exudes, also somewhat reminiscent of Fellini’s Amarcord.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“A sure-handed and stylish fiction debut.” Marko Stojiljković, Cineuropa.

“Kranz achieves something truly spectacular.” Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“Ruizpalacios presents a very interesting experiment: a documentary that intertwines reality and fiction.” Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“Bronze, water and cinema.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“By simply listening, by imagining herself in another’s shoes (no matter how barbarous) Madrid-born Bollaín has pulled off a deeply moving plea to let the unspeakable speak.” Alfonso Rivera, Cineuropa.

“Nobody could turn up their nose at a film brimming with sparky dialogue, where every scene holds a latent threat of explosive violence.” Cristóbal Soage, Cineuropa.

“A sublime X-ray of different surfaces, carried out in the simplest way and with all its duplicities.” Mikel Zumeta, Berria.

“A film full of hope.” Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“We find Simon’s violence disturbing; we may feel the need to flee or perhaps it seduces us, because love is death, at least according to Duras.” Mikel Zumeta, Berria.

“Daring and merciless.” Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“For those looking for a film where words have meaning, where thinking is cultivated and there is no fear of descending into interior abysses where almost no one goes, this film offers extraordinary enjoyment.” Juan Zapater, Noticias de Gipuzkoa.

“It is comforting to see a film achieve all the goals it has set itself, and this is the case of the film presented by Claudia Llosa.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.

“Rather than just a story, the director constructs a sensation, a fear.” Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“Irreproachable and devastating debut by the Romanian Alina Grigore.” Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“Cantet succeeds in illustrating each of the contradictions that lie behind the apparent innocence of the screen of a mobile phone as few have done before.” Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“Arthur Rambo works because of its whirlwind rhythm, because of the sure performance of Rabah Nait Oufella and because it addresses a relevant subject.” Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco.

“It is combative cinema because of its extreme truthfulness.” Luis Martínez, El Mundo.

“She gets it right in the intimate and the collective battles because she is guided by feminist courage and because she has an immense faith in youth.” Víctor Esquirol, Gara.

“Somewhere between Carl Theodor Dreyer and Lars Von Trier, this debutante confidently sets about tackling the most profound debates relating to faith.” Víctor Esquirol, Gara.

“It has overwhelming emotional power.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“Among the precious stones in the ‘Perlak’ section we find this jewel as fragile as red bean jelly but with as many facets as the hardest of diamonds.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“The film by director Icíar Bollaín possesses something difficult to explain in words: a cast whose performances, combined with the force of the stories, vigorously stirs our feelings.” Urtzi Urkizu, Berria.

“Everything is endowed with authentic art and an admirable expressiveness. The glances, the silences, the dialogues (…), the distinguished performances of Blanca Portillo and Luis Tosar make me feel like I have a lump in my throat and make my eyes moisten.” Carlos Boyero, El País.

“Davies does not put together a typical biographical film but rather immerses himself in the character, delves into his world and presents us with an evocative work about the most outstanding aspects of his life.” Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco.

“It is a biopic that rejects the trends of the genre, basing itself, with complete freedom, on moments and decisions that are pure poetry.” Víctor Esquirol, Gara.

“The much-admired Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s third feature, Earwig, screams to be watched on the big screen and, once there, defies the audience by being bafflingly, hypnotically, impenetrable.” Fionnuala Halligan, Screen Daily.

“Fascinating and disturbing with its few words and singular atmosphere.” Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco.

“This provocative and unapologetically profane Buñuelian prank [is] one of the first examples of a genuine auteur work to emerge in a world upended by COVID-19.” Peter Debruge, Variety.

“So intimate that sometimes you feel like (you know you are) a (lucky) intruder in these conversations between mother and daughter.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“Javier Corcuera Andrino’s film bases itself on the collection of important documents on the kids that made music explode from the Basque Country and reach the galaxies.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“A small film (...), although only apparently, since the story that lies behind its ins and outs is grand, accessible and, to a certain extent, epic.” Mikel Zumeta, Berria.

“Cinema within cinema in a story that exudes love for films.” Astrid Meseguer, La Vanguardia.

“A piece so calculated in what it reveals and suggests, and so brilliant in its way of exposing and interpreting this (…), that it preserves all its malicious intrigue in ingenious plot twists and admirable changes in the direction of the acting.” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC.  

“Shoots in all directions at any creatures, living or not, in the cinematographic, acting and directional multiverse.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

“The spotlights, the premieres, the films and the songs all constitute an important part of their lives, but what is most interesting arises from the story that emerges after abandoning all of that. And, in this sense, Gainsbourg does an excellent job.” Uxue Arzelus, Berria.

“Some will think it is a ‘period’ film. And yet it has the rhythm, the fury and the intensity of the best cinema being made in this III Millennium.” Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco.

‘Plunges you into the skin, head, heart, explosive anxious state, fear and uncertainty of a group of police officers who, following irresponsible and unclear orders, must remove thirty people from a house where they have gathered together to prevent their eviction’. Carlos Boyero, El País

‘A first-rate product (…), that makes you want to scream for more’. Oti R. Marchante, ABC

‘The private and public spheres, personal and professional experiences, the faults of a society torn apart by corruption, police misconduct, institutional power and double-edged comradeship are strung together and expressed through multiple narrative layers’. Ricardo Aldarondo, El Diario Vasco

‘Kawase’s latest film uses a psychoanalytic and poetic journey to make a profound and honest reflection’. Mikel Zumeta, Berria

‘One of the best films from the Japanese director [Naomi Kawase] in a long time’. Nando Salvà, El Periódico

‘Plunging the viewer straight into Tallahassee’s family court, this questioning, challenging film will travel to wherever fine and nuanced cinema is celebrated’. Fionnuala Halligan, Screen Daily

‘Beginning is graced by a potent lead performance from Ia Sukhitashvili who conveys the myriad emotions of woman at the mercy of a cruel world and enduring a life tossed from serenity to distress, obedience to emancipation’. Allan Hunter, Screen Daily

‘An imperfect but glassily compelling study of obsessive, finally debilitating desire that honors its source with an unblinking female gaze’. Guy Lodge, Variety

‘Colouristic, alive and joyful guilty pleasure orchestrated by Nacho Álvarez to songs by Raffaella Carrà’. Alfonso Rivera, Cineuropa

‘Subverts, stirs up, old ways of filming and walking the border between Mexico and the USA’.  Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco

‘Has one of the most beautiful, convincing and defining endings of all the films at SSIFF 68’.  Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco

‘David Gómez Sañudo shows great mastery, sensitivity and depth in his first foray into feature-length film’. Alfonso Rivera, Cineuropa

‘Hong Sang-soo remains a master of capturing simple, mostly inconsequential conversations with ease’. Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco

‘Zhou Ziyang makes a strong charge against the prevailing materialism in his own country’. Víctor Esquirol, Gara

‘Ziyang demonstrates a vibrant narrative rhythm’. Juan Zapater, Noticias de Gipuzkoa

‘A look at unsuccessful motherhood and adoption so tender it makes you reach for a silk handkerchief as opposed to a Kleenex’. Oti R. Marchante, ABC

‘An excellent, radical film that delves into the wounds of social divides in the USA’. Carmen L. Lobo, La Razón

‘Blows you away with its indefinable and fierce depiction of love and forgiveness between parent and child’. Luis Martínez, El Mundo

‘An intense film, well told and thought out, with meaning. It pries into painful sensations, the weight of memories and the complexity of feelings’. Carlos Boyero, El País

‘Film maker Imanol Rayo nails this dark, suffocating and provocative thriller’. Urtzi Urkizu, Berria

‘This is not just a film about abortion. It is also a film about loneliness, determination, the America of the forgotten, the formation of identity in a hostile environment, and of course, a beautiful female friendship that endures against all odds’. Sergi Sánchez, La Razón

‘The superb dramatic force of Never Rarely Sometimes Always largely stems from the tact and restraint of Hittman’s direction’. Nando Salvà, El Periódico

‘A meticulously-captured glimpse of light in these dark times’. Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco

‘A moving and extremely close depiction of old age’. Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco

‘Pure genre film’. Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco

‘Eugène Green has created an exotic and highly personal interpretation of the legend of Atarrabi and Mikelats’. Koldo Landaluze, Gara

‘This second film from Navas is powerful, and the story it tells even more so, if that’s possible’. Amaia Garcia, Berria

‘A great thriller based on a difficult drama’. Amaia Garcia, Berria

‘A road movie in which the tarmac, the muddy earth and the most opulently untouched virgin lands constitute the strange road driven by a vehicle loaded with stories’. Víctor Esquirol, Gara

‘Takes seemingly distant characters and makes them loved and understood’. Ricardo Aldarondo, El Diario Vasco

‘Beginning is the most provocatively original film, with a voice of its own, to come to the San Sebastián Festival this year’. Luis Martínez, El Mundo

‘Using intricate and composed content, the film presents us with a complex polyhedron’. Mikel Zumeta, Berria

‘Kulumbegashlivi steadfastly walks the fine line separating realist depiction from religious parable and manages to maintain a sense of tension and threat in even the most apparently calm scenes’. Nando Salvà, El Periódico

‘In the dusk is Sharunas Bartas’ best in years, a stark, sombre Lithuanian war story’. Jonathan Romney, Screen Daily

‘The conventional and effective mise en scène of this convincing and moving drama takes place amid beautiful landscapes and cosy interiors. It becomes more intense and subtle through the sensibilities of both characters (a writer and a pianist) and the impeccable actors’. Ricardo Aldarondo, El Diario Vasco

‘The power and density of the film force the viewer to keep their eyes and ears wide open. Stupefies and fascinates to the core’. Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco

‘Chupacabra is a free, raw film, and a bitter and brilliant fable’. Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco

‘Méndez Esparza focuses on listening carefully and on putting us, the viewers, in the position of justice administrators dealing with what are always delicate family matters’. Víctor Esquirol, Gara

‘The stories comprising the plot have real-life emotional punch’. Oti R. Marchante, ABC

‘Doesn’t massage the audience. Rather, it questions them, and makes them uncomfortable’. Juan Zapater, Noticias de Gipuzkoa

‘With its sublime artistic direction, Sutemose (...) transports us to the miserable lives of Lithuanian Partisans in 1948’. Harkaitz Cano, El Diario Vasco

‘In the Dusk is like a terrifying fable in which Bartas makes clear there is no room for light’. Víctor Esquirol, Gara

‘Sharunas Bartas’ film is magnetic, at times almost artistically so’. Ricardo Aldarondo, El Diario Vasco

‘As a couple starting down the barrel of early-onset dementia, a peak-form Firth and Tucci give nuance and ballast to Harry Macqueen’s small but beautifully formed sophomore film’. Guy Lodge, Variety

‘A film oozing with sensitivity and style, even shamelessly pulling at the heartstrings’. Oti R. Marchante, ABC

‘A poignant portrait of love in autumn’. Stephen Dalton, The Hollywood Reporter

‘Beginning marks an auspicious bow for a new art house talent’. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter

‘Has some great cinematic attributes, such as believing in, and taking risks with how the story is told, yet still condemning and not dodging questions that no one will answer’. Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco

‘A collective poem, a collection of feelings and shared losses, a personal memoir of things so private they must be kept in a small box’. Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco

‘A domestic comedy – indeed, anti-romcom – with some lively performances and a bold-caps feminist message’. Jonathan Romney, Screen Daily

‘Satô explores a parent-child story with many layers’. Harri Fernández, Noticias de Gipuzkoa

‘A film full of joy, life and great music; not to be missed by fans of Matt Dillon and Latin Jazz’. Mikel Zumeta, Berria

‘The director uses all the expressiveness and subtlety of his language to tell a story from the different perspectives of two teenagers who live in an American military base located in the Italian region of Veneto’. Oti R. Marchante, ABC

‘Guadagnino finds a visual rhythm here which is interesting to tap into’. Fionnuala Halligan, Screen Daily

‘A guy as big, free and wild as [El Drogas] has found it well within his capabilities to steal more than a moment of glory from the other geniuses from the world of music who have been portrayed in the same SSIFF programme’. Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco

‘Ekain Irigoyen masterfully tells the story of these two people who live [in the street]’. Amaia Garcia, Berria

‘Asier Altuna chooses not to tread carefully in his portrayal of the great man and places the camera behind the protagonist to bring the viewer closer to a place as private as the kitchen of his restaurant’. Koldo Landaluze, Gara

‘Nomadland is beautiful, serene, deeply human, and perhaps the film of the year’. Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco

‘Film-maker Chloé Zhao and Frances McDormand at the height of her acting career have combined their respective talents to produce a marvellous work of sensitivity’. Koldo Landaluze, Gara

‘The Father does something that few movies about mental deterioration in old age have brought off in quite this way, or this fully. It places us in the mind of someone losing his mind’. Owen Gleiberman, Variety

‘Suzanne Lindon makes her acting and directorial debut with remarkable assurance – and success’. Wendy Ide, Screen Daily

‘The music, the words, the physicality and the materials of the documentary (…) are stunning and devastating’. Oti R. Marchante, ABC

‘Excellent, beautiful, raw, created with the brain and the heart (…); traces the explosive existence and the incredible survival of Shane MacGowan, a hypnotic singer, a brilliant composer and the soul of The Pogues’. Carlos Boyero, El País

‘Fascinating documentary (…) a journey of music, alcohol, drugs and punk’. Mitxel Ezquiaga, El Diario Vasco

‘An amazing film (…) told with grace, bewilderment, feeling, and credible humanism’.  Carlos Boyero, El País

‘As dry, strong, transparent and turbulent as a good shot of vodka’. Oti R. Marchante, ABC

‘Shows us the predominant viewpoint of a character historically relegated to the background’. Víctor Esquirol, Gara

‘Warm, moving, overwhelming in places, an outstanding look at the mindset of an artist with one of the best understandings of the word on the street’. Koldo Landaluze, Gara

‘The camera and its movements, the mise en scene, the composition of the shots, the coloratura of the lighting by Víctor Benavides (…) the audacity of some takes (…) perfectly communicate what David, Marina and the others want to tell us’. Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco

‘A powerful and technically sound drama that fascinates on account of the force of actress Patricia López Arnaiz’. Koldo Landaluze, Gara

‘A wonderful depiction of a family group’. Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco

‘Nomadland feels like gazing out on one long, gorgeous sunset’. Peter Debruge, Variety

‘Terribly expressive, dark, seductive and significant’. Oti R. Marchante, ABC

‘Before we know it, we are immersed in the rite’. Mikel Zumeta, Berria

‘A suggestive cocktail (…) focussing on women’s struggle and their right to live their lives and their dreams’. Ricardo Aldarondo, El Diario Vasco

‘The film depicts the story of these two young people in the most beautiful way’. Mikel Zumeta, Berria

‘An original and suggestive way of depicting adolescent dreams and worries, with the ingenuity, irony and sensitivity of François Ozon’. Ricardo Aldarondo, El Diario Vasco

‘An exercise in narrative subjectivity’. Nando Salva, El Periódico

‘A very deep dive indeed, made with clear respect for the complexities of what took place‘. Fionnuala Halligan, Screen Daily

‘The Father gives the viewer a first-hand experience of the complexity, of the abyss felt by someone who starts to not trust their own mind‘. Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco

‘An unhesitating debut from Zeller’. Julián Herrero, La Razón

‘Kiyoshi Kurosawa has fully exploited the possibilities of a script through which he has paid tribute to his ever-admired Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchock and Jacques Tourneur’. Koldo Landaluze, Gara

‘An enjoyable and moving film’. Amaia Garcia, Berria

‘When one holds a wonderful film and manages to fill it with such wonderful characters, one doesn’t want to let go of it or of them’. Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco

‘Highly characteristic of Woody Allen. Fun and moving with its perspective on a life from old age, yet it has the youthful drive of those who still believe in life, seduction and pleasure, despite all the anguish they cause’. Ricardo Aldarondo, El Diario Vasco

‘Behind its apparent triviality and its simple and dazzling assimilation lies wisdom, confession and ingenuity’. Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

‘A tough and painful journey told from within the heart of two families’. Fernando García, La Vanguardia

‘Franco brings us a harsh critique on class segregation’. Amaia Garcia, Berria

‘The latest from Mexican director Michel Franco is one of those tough, uncomfortable, desperate, brutal films’. Mikel G. Gurpegui, El Diario Vasco

‘Lara Izagirre has returned to feature-length format with a piece that showcases her exquisite sensitivity when it comes to defining a journey of initiation’. Koldo Landaluze, Gara

‘Summer of 85 reminds us what makes the Ozon touch so unique‘. Peter Debruge, Variety

“A film that channels its complexity to create something understated” Luis Martinez, EL MUNDO

“Beautiful, smart, eccentric, tender, a tribute to those who are helpless and forced to learn to let go” Carlos Boyero, EL PAÍS

“The feel-good movie laid bare. Takes care of itself and of the viewer. Just when it seems like things are about to go wrong, it ends up on top…” Victor Esquirol, DIARIO VASCO

“Daniel Sánchez-Arévalo has premiered a warm, simple and moving road movie” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“Waddington decides not to reveal everything that may be going on in the tortured minds of the characters and lets the viewer mull it over themselves. This bold decision makes Patrick a provocative, powerful and disconcerting film” David González, CINEUROPA

“Visually powerful and heavy” Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“‘Sister’ is a resounding second step in Svetla Tsotsorkova’s career. It’s an intense experience and one worth having” Cristóbal Soage, CINEUROPA

“Superb performances by Nichola Burley and newcomer Roxanne Scrimshaw anchor Fyzal Boulifa's unforgiving study of working-class tragedy and community” Guy Lodge, VARIETY

“Absolutely beautiful in the visual and phantasmagorical sense (…) a powerful hybrid of political cinema and ghost movie” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The brilliant performances from the leading couple and the careful visual recreation underpin an elegantly crafted movie (…) hits the mark with its existential analysis and the depiction of a horror that doesn’t leave room for indifference” Koldo Landaluze, DIARIO VASCO

“(Ciro Guerra) continues to use space and silence, with his knack for honing in on beauty in huge landscapes” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“Evocative and powerful, and Ciro once again exploits a series of sequences with a huge visual impact, dominated by an almost dreamlike abstraction” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“A noteworthy film based on the eponymous novel ‘Waiting for the Barbarians’ (…) both the script and film are magnificent” Harkaitz Cano, DIARIO VASCO

“We’re flung into the middle of a social protest drama, akin to the social realism of Ken Loach” Mikel Zumeta, BERRIA

“Flows between the almost documentary-like realism of the hand-held camera and the accurate, dazzling and highly refined cinematography from the expert hand of Hélène Louvart.” Ricardo Aldarondo, DIARIO VASCO

“This late entry could end up in the top spot. A sure contender for a Golden Shell, without a doubt” Luis Martínez, EL MUNDO

“Sarah Gavron manages to reverse the dynamic in a brilliant third and final act. The sharp and sincere defence of the values held by a well-coordinated collective is moving.” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“What makes good film? Among many things, a healthy dose of truth about the human condition and the current times, brought to the audience through carefully chosen language. This is A Thief’s Daughter” Manuel Hidalgo, EL MUNDO

“The audience will be taken aback (…) when they realise how much a person who can’t speak has to say, and that they’re part of some truly emotional, entertaining and intimate conversations” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“A clarion call to break down barriers, showing that a life fraught with obstacles can still be a good life and exploring the obstacles thrown down by life itself. One of those films that stays with you and never fades.” Harkaitz Cano, DIARIO VASCO

“‘Trench’ (...) is an intense, almost note-perfect emotional journey about the fear of political repression and, more broadly, about human vulnerability, despair and resistance. But most of all it’s a grown-up film about love.” Jonathan Holland, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“An impressive and amazing film that takes everything to the edge. Brings the audience dangerously close to the limit. The sensation is unique.”  Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“‘Light of My Life’ is a sensitive portrayal of the father-daughter relationship in a delicate forest world, with abandoned houses on the alert for danger and with humanism and pacifism dominating much of the film.” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“Actor and director Casey Affleck makes his fiction debut with this post-apocalyptic movie that reveals his talent for capturing sensations and expressions.” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“The miraculous Aretha Franklin. Serious when not singing and a tempest of beauty and pure emotion as soon as she opens her mouth. The choir and churchgoers give it everything. You’ll leave the cinema smiling, crying, knowing that with Aretha you’ll never age” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“Pure, untameable energy and a cathartic spiritual communion in which Pollack (though not gifted in the technique department) revealed his talent for capturing faces and emotions so intense that they leave the screen and infect us with all the earthly force transmitted by the great priestess Aretha Franklin” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“The nature of the theme, softened by the sympathy, humanity and vitality of the characters, makes it a film worth seeing” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“A film that leaves open spaces and which is hugely alluring despite its ugliness, all thanks to the amazing framing by the director (…) the story is devoted to the characters, to their emotions and their suffering, revealing the inner political and social workings of a country that can be hard to comprehend” Javier Ocaña, EL MUNDO

“An elegant portrayal of the experience of a single middle-working class mother (…) Greta Fernández is perfect in the role of Sara” Mikel Zumeta, BERRIA

“Decisive and flawless, as determined as the leading character, ‘A Thief’s Daughter’ hooks the viewer right from the word go” Ricardo Aldarondo, DIARIO VASCO

“An endorsement for director and co-writer Belén Funes as an artist who will bring us much joy in years to come” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“Comic situations that’ll have you roaring with laughter (…) If you’re a fan of Houellebecq, don’t miss this film”  Mikel Zumeta, BERRIA

“The poetry that emanates from the film achieves its purpose of guiding us across a border where faith, dreams and the ever-pressing need to communicate with one another all come together” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“It is a convincing, touching and, at certain points, infuriating depiction of what it means to be a gay man in a society dominated by a very traditional version of the Christian religion” Vladan Petkovic, CINEUROPA

“Rarely do we see a modern film with this sense of pure danger, at a time when green screen and digital compositing are the current industry preferences.” David Katz, CINEUROPA

“It’s a bold, unique and eclectic cocktail which is bewildering at times in all its peculiarities, but which proves the filmmaker’s clear talent for portraying with great accuracy the reality of the young protagonist’s African life” Fabien Lemercier, CINEUROPA

“One of the most inspired filmmakers currently on the international stage” Víctor Esquirol, GARA

“Tenacious, masterful when it comes to capturing intimate, sincere and painful emotions” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“The result is beautiful, adolescent, witty. Highly subtle. Playfully erotic” Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“The director has created an immensely sensitive portrayal of the intimacy between the couple.” Mikel Zumeta, BERRIA

“The provocative title of the new work by Chilean film maker José Luis Torres Leiva is a perfect match for the rapturously poetic narration and editing” Víctor Esquirol, GARA

“A credible and realistic analysis of the context, with the emotional hooks of a thriller.” Ricardo Aldarondo, DIARIO VASCO

“The film is beautiful in its own way. It takes an interesting approach to decrying the situation and is also tremendously valuable as a documentary. Of that I have no doubt.” Mikel Zumeta, BERRIA

“’The Other Lamb’ tackles patriarchy in an inventive and thoughtful manner, giving the viewer space to draw their own conclusions.” Kalem  Aftab, CINEUROPA

“Every step taken by the families in this marvellously fresh melodrama speaks of the pain of a people that has been confounded by tremendous ups and downs.” Gonzalo Núñez, LA RAZÓN

“Intimate and powerful drama about what’s going on in people’s everyday lives — not just in England, but all over the world.” Owen Gleiberman, VARIETY

“Subtle use of cinematic techniques. Strong depictions and scene-setting.” Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“García Blaya’s film is tender. Moving.”  Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“Frankly, it was a brilliant choice on the part of director Salvador Simo to use such an expressionistic medium.” Peter Debruge, VARIETY

“Diao Yinan delivers a definitive Chinese crime noir, in which the ravishing style and inventive staging form the substance.” Jessica Kiang, VARIETY

“Well-paced. The entanglements are woven together perfectly.” Gaizka Bourgeaud, GARA

“The audience can expect cameos and many famous faces along with the same humour and entanglements as the first instalment.” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“Oliver Laxe has given us a jewel of cinema that shows us how to shoot a fire, how to approach the natural world and how to make film” Juan Zapater, NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA

“The opening leaves an impression (…) this film is different.” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“Clearly the most prestigious film maker currently on the Uruguayan movie scene” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“An outstanding sensory experience. Landes strikes over and over again with the horrific absurdity of war” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“The film conveys (…) the fascination of big-screen images and the intoxicating, hallucinogenic power of those points in the film leaves a lasting mark” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“The lead character’s passion for cinema, the tribute to the Hollywood of the 70s (…) and his dreams and nightmares of triumph are endearing in all their craziness” Ricardo Aldarondo, DIARIO VASCO

“What really gives ‘Heroic Losers’ a boost is its expression of national character, the way it attaches itself to this rousing fantasy to score one for the downtrodden.” Scott Tobias, VARIETY

“Oren Gerner’s film has been lovingly crafted. It carefully observes Meier’s worries and creates a safe environment in which the feelings he denies are revealed to the camera” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“Lynn + Lucy is a substantial piece of work. Skilfully shot using a square aspect ratio. It’s bare, dangerous, sullen. Boulifa’s film works” Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“What Boulifa and DoP Taina Galis add to the mix – thanks also to their fourhander edit – is a strikingly expressionist take on a story” Lee Marshall, SCREENDAILY 

“The young director has crafted the film as though it were a dance that he has choreographed. Everything we see is dance (…) it lives and breathes dance and excites” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“Faultless cinematography, an unhurried film, minimalist stories but with stimulating undertones” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“The young Galician film maker Oliver Laxe once again proves one to watch with this new creative leap (…) he has reached creative maturity thanks to a highly personal and nuanced dialogue” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“You know exactly what climax is coming in Oliver Laxe’s rustically beautiful rural parable, but its dreamy, mesmeric power lies in the waiting” Guy Lodge, VARIETY

“Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho is on excoriating form in his exceptional pitch-black tragicomedy about social inequality in modern Korea.” Jessica Kiang, VARIETY

“A stimulating, entertaining and smart film that will surprise you over and over again. Don’t miss it” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“An enjoyable, beautiful film brimming with attractive features. Hugely entertaining and endearing”  Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“Angela Schanelec's latest auteur puzzle is elegant and entirely elliptical.” Guy Lodge, VARIETY

“Jon Garaño, Aitor Arregi and Jose Mari Goenaga have created what is surely the perfect post-civil-war movie” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“Moving restraint, enthralling in its historical scope and intimacy, ‘La trinchera infinita’ is a new technical, narrative and emotional feat from the team behind ‘Handia’” Ricardo Aldarondo, DIARIO VASCO

“A joyful movie in every one of its brilliant and daring contradictions: shines ever brighter the darker it gets, sounds ever louder the deeper it moves into silence” Luis Martínez, EL MUNDO

“Belén Cuesta’s nuanced performance is splendid” Carlos Boyero, EL PAÍS

“Peppered with well-placed doses of humour. A powerful yet subtle screenplay and immaculate editing, expertly conveying the pain of claustrophobia and the erosion of time, all the way to a final moving scene” Harkaitz Cano, DIARIO VASCO

“The film soon distances itself from the classic tale of musical learning and triumph and deals with deeper and more troubling issues. The direction and acting performances are commendable” Ricardo Aldarondo, DIARIO VASCO

“A feature that could strike a chord with arthouse distributors in the market for quality drama and strong women’s stories.” Lee Marhsall, SCREEN DAILY

“In this gripping, sad and touching work of classic film the humanity of its unforgettable characters also shines through” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“The monumental ‘So Long, My Son’ has an impeccable cast and pinpoint storytelling” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“A deeply moving, generations-spanning drama.” Jessica Kiang, VARIETY

“Jayro Bustamante's debut 'Ixcanul' put Guatemalan cinema on the map; his follow-up, a rumbling, forceful gay drama, ought to keep it there.” Guy Lodge, VARIETY

“A most interesting cinematic and narrative structure. The end is of the type that we’re not used to seeing so frequently of late” Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“Ambitious, combative and well shot (…) Hend Sabri is as powerful and forceful as the great women of film” Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“(Izibene Oñederra) once again makes our jaws drop with a highly characterful work” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“Filmed in a highly natural, analogue, grainy way. It’s nocturnal, pure burlesque and underground ‘boylesque’ activism, all the way to the fake eyelashes and platinum wigs” Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“Commendable confidence and personal perspective (…) A shrewd interpretation of the paradoxical nature of the human being” Ricardo Aldarondo, DIARIO VASCO

“A masterclass in off-camera (…)  Zonana reveals himself as a great explorer” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“A captivating and visually accomplished film” Fabien Lemercier, CINEUROPA

“Alice Winocour’s staging and Eva Green’s restrained and passionate performance subtly come together” Ricardo Aldarondo, DIARIO VASCO

“Lhamo and Skalbe’s strong Tibetan cultural element could see it garner further festival interest” Lee Marshall, SCREEN DAILY

“Knows how to play its cards right. Knows how to handle the craziness of Saturday night and the nightmare of awakening from memories. I like how it gradually becomes more complex and how it leaves the ending open with no answers” Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“The open shots, the tranquillity of the gorgeous Norwegian lakes and landscapes, the careful editing of the scenes in the church and the intense pace of the dance competitions. Young Mirjam’s situation is stifling, and the director uses seeming contradictory means of transmitting that sense of suffocation” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“A fantastic, restrained and daring film narrated with intelligence and real feeling” Carlos Boyero, EL PAÍS

“Hinde Boujemaa crafts an uneven but ultimately potent women’s drama with her fictional debut.” Lee Marshall, SCREEN DAILY

“Audiences will be moved, surprised, amused and alternately depressed and uplifted by this excellent film” Vladan Petckovic, CINEUROPA

“Emanates a rare vitality and a wild extravagance that pulls you in” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“A tale of the introduction to life and to the emotions. The magical component of the film takes on an ancestral dimension that is firmly rooted in the behaviour of modern society” Koldo Landaluze, GARA
 

“The Japanese director has created a pleasant and entertaining film that moves along at an enjoyable pace” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“The movie makes flawless use of an oppressive aspect ratio (…) the dialogue is at times like a litany and at others like an incantation that some might say is reminiscent of Shakespeare” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“Genuinely moving, without moralising or preaching” Urtzi Urkizu, BERRIA

“The expert hand of director Roger Michell, of Notting Hill fame, brings strength and a comedic counterpoint to a film with a powerful cast.” Mitxel Ezquiaga, DIARIO VASCO

“A spectacular cast” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“Amenábar gives a wise and clear reconstruction of the controversial, much-debated and yet legendary events of October 12th 1936.” Luis Martinez, EL MUNDO

“Holds up a mirror to the political and social times we’re living in, with the dangerous rise of the far right” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“Handsomely mounted” Denis Harvey, VARIETY

“A brave and somewhat brazen film that carves its own path (…) the choice of speech hits the mark, at times marvellous and at others spot on”  Muriel Del Don, CINEUROPA

“The secret to a good film is that it transports you to a different place. ‘L’île aux oiseaux’ by Swiss directors Maya Kosa and Sergio da Costa does just that” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“Barber has brought lyricism to a story imbued with nostalgia and yearning” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“’Les misérables’ is masterful and confidently guides us through the people and the tensions between them” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“Les misérables’ from director Ladj Ly has more rage than hate (…) A detailed social account that shines a spotlight on police corruption” Andoni Imaz, BERRIA

“Wow! Director Taberna has some strength (…) She oozes style (…) authentically good and human. This is what makes powerful cinema.” Begoña del Teso, DIARIO VASCO

“A kaleidoscopic perspective (…) calls for a Mediterranean culture that European authorities stopped believing in a long time ago”  Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“A flawless and moving double ending magnificently concludes this much-recommended great work of film” Mikel G. Gurpegui, DIARIO VASCO

“Robert Eggers is here to stay. (…) The film is like nature out of control, its anti-panoramic format suffocates, the black and white terrifies, the raging dialogue bewilders…” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“Filming the movie in one long take was a daring decision requiring meticulous planning (…) and, on this occasion, the form adapts magnificently to the story” Gontzal Agote, BERRIA

“On a structural level the film is a masterclass in how to make a movie without the cutting room. Without even drawing breath! As we discover in the midst of so much suffering, the cut between scenes is a relief now denied to us. You can’t look away” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“Tuva Novotny’s excellent directorial debut looks at mental health and questions cinematic language” Kaleem Aftab, CINEUROPA

“Redemption, camaraderie and reinvention feature in a semi-unknown place that only the eye of a filmmaker as worried, sensitive and curious as Lacuesta is able to portray with both love and respect” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“That such a gripping, dramatic, enigmatic and, indeed, beautiful film emerges as the result confirms this sometime cartoonist as the daring, modern, courageous, original and unique voice that asks in this film, of both himself and us, who are we, really?” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“What a beautiful film from Mayfair (…) The Vietnamese director has created a beautiful contradiction: that of a young girl forced to live such a horrible life, surrounded by such beauty” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“DoP Balthazar Hertel's camerawork is more than competent, and the use of lighting, especially in nocturnal, blue and red neon-tinted scenes, makes the atmosphere ambiguous” Vladan Petkovic, CINEUROPA

“Martín Rodríguez Redondo is the latest outstanding film maker from the Latin American new wave (…) along with a highly personal sense of pace in the film narrative make this Argentinian director one of the great discoveries of Zinemaldia 2018” Carlos Loureda, FOTOGRAMAS

“White-hot. Beautiful. A metaphor loaded with reality; a reality wrapped in the poetry of unknown dimensions (…) Gorgeous. Poetic. You could say fragile though supported and driven with strong style” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“While the excellent work on image, editing and sound, combined with fantastic performances by the three main actors, creates a feeling of suffocation, cruelty and abuse that the viewer personally experiences both physically and mentally” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“An amazing amount of work has gone into the animation in this film from Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are stunning together in Cooper's rapturous rock 'n' roll remake (…) rapturous and swooning, but also delicate and intimate and luminous” Owen Gleiberman, VARIETY

“A tremendous melodrama (…) a story that twists and turns elegantly” Oti Rodriguez Marchante, ABC

“Captivating and stimulating” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A gutsy film made with restrained brilliance, an overwhelming spectacle brought together with seventies music and the charisma of the main actor, Lorenzo Ferro” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“In The Sisters Brothers, Audiard creates a story reminiscent of the Coen brothers, with humour and memorable supporting characters, plenty of feeling and melancholy, and which reveals that the treasure of the Wild West dream is found along the journey” Alex Zubiria, NOTICIAS DE GUIPUZKOA

“The perfect metaphor of an honest and empathetic generation (…) Oier Aranzabal has managed to gel something as difficult and intangible as poetry with epic artistic creation” Luis Haranburu Altuna, EL CORREO

“Delicate cinematic filigree (…) an immensely subtle theatrical and literary ensemble” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The interesting thing about this piece (is) how serious the director is about ensuring the documental and fictional aspects consume one another (…) to bring meaning to the fiction, and that touch of ‘freshness’ that lets the characters talk, converse and be themselves to bring meaning to the documentary” Oti Rodriguez Marchante, ABC

“Isaki Lacuesta is back with a magnificent film which blurs all lines between fiction and documentary. He has painted a bitter and realistic picture of Spain” Gontzal Agote, BERRIA

“As authentic as the most to-the-point and spontaneous documentary and with the narrative vigour of a director who is absolutely aware of everything that’s emerging before the camera” Ricardo Aldarondo, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Lacuesta’s purity of perspective matches the exquisite camerawork which, above all, is in tune with the object being studied” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“Denis’s excessively fanciful yet attractive narrative structure is unsettling and leaves some intriguing questions hanging” Ricardo Aldarondo, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A breath of fresh air in the genre” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“There are parts that get bogged down in pitiful ideas and scenes of unquestionable beauty” Juan Zapater, NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA

“In its sheer weirdness and departure from anything else in the cinematic universe, this film is bound to charm” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“What in Ruiz’s hands would in presumably have been awash with stylistic flourishes and oscillations in time (and pace) is bathed in a cool theatrical clarity in Sarmiento’s” David González, CINEUROPA

“The formidable Girl (…) is pure physicality. A work about the body, from the body” Javier Ocaña, EL PAÍS

“The outcome is so subtle of the type that only the French do well, loyal as they are to the theme of infidelity” Harkaitz Cano, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The complacency and corruption of pre-coup Argentina is laid bare in chilling, absurd style in Benjamin Naishtat's superb third feature” Jessica Kiang, VARIETY

“He returns to the festival with this stylishly mounted follow-up (…) The film’s prime assets are terrific performances from leads Nimri and Eva Llorach” Jonathan Romney, SCREEN DAILY

“These moments dedicated to music and dance profit from the advice of choreographer María Rovira, and they are by far the most spectacular, moving and genuine scenes” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“Brillante Mendoza's seamily atmospheric drug-trade thriller covers familiar ground, but does so with a potent, purposeful stride” Guy Lodge, VARIETY

“Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s third feature-length film is prizeworthy” M.I., GARA

“Demonstrates that we, too, are witness to one of the most beautiful love stories of this 66th festival” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Argentine drama “The Snatch Thief” is a nicely plotted, unpretentious film” Jay Weissberg, VARIETY

“La casa lobo from Chilean directors Cristobal León and Joaquin Cociña is great cinema” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The film will be a tool for generating crucial debate. That’s no small thing” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“One of the most powerful pieces of the Festival” Harkaitz Cano, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The story’s depiction of the world of dreams creates opportunities for humour without ruining the realistic feel of what is, without a doubt, Veiroj’s most existentialist film” Carlota Moseguí, CINEUROPA

“A resonating melodramatic thriller which is executed to perfection. It will unsettle many in the audience with its disarming and defiant frivolity” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“Intriguing characters and superb performances could make 'Petra' the director’s most popular film to date” Jay Weissberg, VARIETY

“Roma will be described as a visual marvel, and it is” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Jia Zhangke’s gangster epic is a twisting tale of love and survival in 21st-century China” Maggie Lee, VARIETY

“Zhao Tao. One of those personalities who floods the screen. Brilliant, fun and youthful” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“It has adventure, it has humour, and it reflects on life, happiness and freedom (…) I can’t think of a more appropriate pair of actors for this fraternal journey” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“A monumental work from twelve film makers” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A perfectly calibrated drama boasting exquisite attention to detail that reveals itself in the elegant visuals as much as the astonishing performances” Jay Weissberg, VARIETY

“High-end scripted content derives from high-quality scripts and creative freedom” Emiliano Granada, VARIETY

“Surely the most powerful auteur on the Spanish film scene (…) An undoubtedly perfect work” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“One of the most daring, clever and personal inquiries into the web of masks, symbols and fraud that so defines us (…) Vermut is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing, mature and unique voices in new Spanish film. And he’s growing louder” Luis Martínez, EL MUNDO

“A delight that should be savoured slowly and carefully, because the plot has one or two poisonous seeds” Gontzal Agote, BERRIA

“Carlos Vermut has conceived a fascinating tale. The story is replete with tension, excitement and intent and countless furling and unfurling” Juan Zapater, NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA

“A beautiful and well-constructed labyrinth around the act of giving and receiving, helping and exploiting, duplicity and imitation, having one’s own identity and wanting to be someone else, losing or winning trust in oneself and in others” Alberto Moyano, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The essence of the Carlos Vermut film narrative and perhaps more polished for the occasion: an unsettling story which opens up like a wound, triggering various states of anxiety in the process, among them pain, forgetfulness and stripped identities” Oti Rordiguez Marchante, ABC

“Sequences that take your breath away and make you feel like cinema is the art of all arts (…) There’s majesty, mystery and solemnity” Juan Zapater, NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA

“Kawase’s films are so zen and contemplative, they create the same inner peace as a mouthful of green tea” Oti Rordiguez Marchante, ABC

“Images filled with pure beauty; almost electrifying” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“It’s a darkly funny look at consumerism, fetishism and lonely-hearts ads that features dreams, killer dresses and untimely deaths (…) Strickland is able to divert the narrative away from social commentary to highlight the humorous and musical aspects of the film” Kaleem Aftab, CINEUROPA

“Brave, sharp, unpredictable, a ruthless parody, bold, a crazy narrative, as chaotic and absurd as life itself (…) It makes an undeniable impact that can still be felt days after seeing it. And that’s saying something” Harkaitz Cano, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Bombastic Korean action, technically impeccable, the scenes flit from solemn verbal drama to chases, shootings and stilted camerawork” Dani Soriazu, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Spectacular (…) stunning, overflowing and a brilliant homage to the unforgettable film Jin-Roh” Juan Zapater, NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA

“One of the most outstanding works of contemporary Basque cinema” Gorka Erostarbe and Maider Galardi F. Agirre, BERRIA

“This chronical of a breakdown, of so many breakdowns, does well from the fact that Nature devours it, that our closest landscapes (...) lose their usual aspect and transform almost into a landscape left after some future apocalypse” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Celia Rico Clavellino lives up to the expectations generated around her meticulously attentive portraits of a mother-daughter relationship brought to life by her excellent actresses” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“A beautiful poem on a not-so-pretty theme. That is, the social burden of the patriarchy. The film makes its point using evocative images and a brilliant idea: turn men (or males) into animals” GARA

“Xacio Baño’s first feature length film has been painstakingly put together (…) The brilliant performance from María Vazquez enriches the story and the spectacular shots chosen by the Galician director take the film to a whole other level” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“Representations of the body and desire are changing something on the screen” Gorka Erostarbe and Maider Galardi F. Agirre, BERRIA

“Pace, brilliance and vitality. The film brings a smile to your face with its featherweight (though equally combative) tone, its scintillating dialogue, its entanglements, its use of satire and its 70s feel” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“I was moved (…) a praiseworthy aesthetic (black and white, no soundtrack), monumental camerawork (…) the formidable visual language expresses sensations and feelings with depth” Carlos Boyero, EL PAÍS

“A family story in marvellous black and white (…) There’s much to see in Roma, from the simple, minimal and intimate to the other, gigantic side that depicts earthquakes and turbulence, both social and personal. It gets under your skin, not by piercing or cutting aggressively but as though the story were spread on like a moisturising cream” Oti Rordiguez Marchante, ABC

“The complexity and intrigue of the characters is perfectly depicted (…) the film trots along joyfully, awakening mutual understanding, and frolics with a touch of humour that doesn’t take away its emotional factor. An enjoyable and sensitive movie that even throws some questions out about humanity” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Jacques Audiard has created one of the best portraits about mutual understanding, respect and brotherly love of recent times (…) An impeccable narrative and powerful visuals, the film from the director of A Prophet is among the most gratifying surprises of the year” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“They want to explain the origins of drug trafficking (…) they discuss tradition and spirituality (…) a fresh perspective which is miles away from the other offerings on this now-fashionable issue” Uxue Arzelus, Berria

“Beautiful and memorable” Carlos Boyero, EL PAÍS

“Its trump card is the combination of fiction with archive material, with images of daily life in the city in the 70s (…) a true portrait of a dark time” Oskar Belategui, EL CORREO

“This British film has added a splash of colour to an Official Selection which is turning greyer by the day (…) with its provocative narrative and mise en scène (…) fires poisoned arrows at the employment sector, at consumerism and at personal relationships” Gontzal Agote, BERRIA

“As unusual as it is alluring—perfect for those who let themselves be carried along by its refined extravagance and ingenious sense of humour, not to mention horror” Ricardo Aldarondo, EL DIARIO VASCO

“For the time being the most depraved and bizarre film up for this year’s Golden Shell, and the best so far” Nando Salvá, EL PERIÓDICO

“In Fabric—two hours of film bordering on a masterpiece. A new and extravagant work which has thrown its hat in the ring for the Golden Shell. Brilliant” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“Peter Strickland fashions a slyly hilarious Italian horror homage” Peter Debruge, VARIETY

“The boldest, most radical and—dare we say it—modern entry that there has and will probably be in the entire Official Selection” Gontzal Agote, BERRIA

“The imaginative wardrobe, photography and lighting are sumptuous, as are the rich orchestral arrangements (…) a miracle of vital and artistic creation” Ricardo Aldarondo, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The director has pieced together a very daring work which will be just as interesting and fascinating 50 years from now” Harkaitz Cano, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Borders the South with works such as Carlos Saura’s Sevillanas, and the North with (…) Pina from Wim Wenders” Juan Zapater, NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA

“Romantic passion, jealous anxiety, murderous obsession et al are presented with a kind of matter-of-fact sang froid” Jonathan Romney, SCREENDAILY

"A melodrama of the most refined nature (…) there’s nothing more provocative than this in the times of the ‘influencers’” Ricardo Aldarondo, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A lesson in fresh, original and personal—yet classic—cinema” Juan Zapater, NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA

“Angelo confirms that this Viennese director, just like Stefan Zweig, has an exquisite eye for mise en scène” Juan Zapater, NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA

“Exquisite forms, the film takes its time as is fitting with the atmosphere inside a sheltered palace” Ricardo Aldarondo, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Beautiful camerawork” Víctor Esquirol, GARA

“The Realm consolidates de la Torre’s reputation as an actor whose presence is practically a quality control stamp on any project” Jonathan Holland, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“Rodrigo Sorogoyen has come up with a forceful and adrenaline-charged thriller” David González, CINEUROPA

“This grenade could go off at any moment, splattering the audience itself as it watches its own wretchedness elegantly played out on-screen, staged with concision and beauty” Alfonso Rivera, CINEUROPA

“A film worthy of applause” Gontzal Agote, BERRIA

“A typically thoughtful, ambitious storytelling exercise from Spanish helmer Iciar Bollain” Guy Lodge, VARIETY

“Pure Cuerda style and the pull of a huge list of actors” Ricardo Aldarondo, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Carefully staged and dramatically filmed” Jonathan Holland, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“The images brilliantly project the solitary human environment (…) a highly interesting look at the new Basque Country ahead of us, from the viewpoint of all social sciences” Urtzi Urkizu, BERRIA

“Hugely successful in restoring Bisquert’s powerful presence” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“This debut from former actress Lila Avilés marks her out as a name to watch" Jonathan Romney, SCREENDAILY

“Her sometimes shocking drama should help establish her as an audacious, idiosyncratic force (…) Cast members throw themselves physically into the rigours of a demanding milieu” Jonathan Romney, SCREENDAILY

“Meshchaninova brings us a raw and exciting film that almost approaches magical realism” Vassilis Economou, CINEUROPA

“Film buffs can add a name to the list of directors with a future ahead of them” F. García, LA VANGUARDIA

“The lovingly-crafted script and highly identifiable situations result in a pleasant and intimate film (…) a story with substance, full of simple day-to-day moments for sure, though with a lot to say” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“Shot and shaped with brisk clarity” Guy Lodge, VARIETY

“Received by an audience at once committed and astonished (…) Ferrugem is brave, worthy and convincing” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Ana Katz keeps the mood appealingly low-key” Guy Lodge, VARIETY

“Artful sophomore film brings a supernatural twist to a study of refugee crisis” Guy Lodge, VARIETY

“Visually monumental, the unique La casa lobo evokes children’s stories and nightmarish settings” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“He has created a story arranged like a collage (…) Provocative” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“A beautiful and interesting offering” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Brilliantly executed over four acts that flirt with thriller, westerns that hark back to those from Leone, drama and ancient times” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“A south-of-the-border drug epic like you've never seen before” Peter Debruge, VARIETY

“Leto’s freshness comes from its narrative style (…) Fun, brazen, to be enjoyed” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“A daring black and white feature that two out of three times attacks full force” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“With a powerful visual discourse, Leto distances itself from the usual canons of the biopic” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“The Belgian has directed Girl with maturity and elegance (…) it is subtle, sweet, like a dance, but also raw to match the themes it addresses. What really appeals is that the film has no educational pretentions (…) A moving and tough film. Electrifying” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“A new vision of a transgender person. And the discovery of Victor Polster” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Moves along at a carefully-crafted pace” Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“Conveys the sense of claustrophobia and strain to great effect” Fernando García, LA VANGUARDIA

“Every image — every emotion — is perfectly set in place” Owen Gleiberman, VARIETY

“A promising debut, (…) a special piece” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Perfectly measured and scripted theatre (…) but without losing the truth of the documentary” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“And has the allure of the formidable actress Judi Dench, that wonderfully expressive little old lady” Carlos Boyero, EL PAÍS

“The beauty of the Norwood story is that it shows how spies are usually (…) ordinary citizens who could easily be your neighbour” Kaleem Aftab, CINEUROPA

“The romantic plot, the spy intrigue and the ‘beautiful’ staging are the narrative elements from the past, and the moral and political discourse around the ‘balance of forces’ and its place in achieving peace in the last half of the century (better to distribute the bombs than risk a monopoly) are the trump cards of the present-day story” Oti Rodriguez Marchante, ABC

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“This vibrantly executed and performed piece is bound to garner international prestige” Jonathan Romney, SCREEN DAILY

“Santiago Alfonso is well-tuned and the real surprise of the film” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“Pleasing and entertaining” Oti Rodriguez Marchante, ABC

“A noteworthy exercise in intrigue. Violence beats in every gesture, look and word spoken (…) a terrifying look at our most wild self” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“The cinematography and shocking irony are fascinating” Alberto Moyano, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Rousingly filmed (…) Mendoza once again portrays the forgotten and marginalised alongside the indelible and infallible image of those who stand up for a society that appears to be crumbling” Juan G. Andrés, EL DIARIO VASCO

“An immensely courageous work that transcends genre film to become a protest piece (…) undoubtedly committed to the cause” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“The brilliant Mendoza uses sinister cinematography and garbage-packed settings to sculpt his best movies (…) he returns close to where he has always been to reassert his accusations against a police system that has become the main scourge of the very society it should serve” Juan Zapater, NOTICIAS DE GUIPUZCOA

“Troy Espiritu’s script is taut and to the point, and gives the impression of being grounded in hard research” Jonathan Romney, SCREEN DAILY

“Fine job of mixing comedy, drama and thriller elements” Kaleem Aftab, CINEUROPA

“So outlandish and yet so subtle (…) I love the square screen that frames this reflection on gods and children, friendship, death, faith and everything else. (…) I love that the scenes aren’t cut abruptly but flow serenely. I love this semi-religious mischief with its turntable, death, prayer and incense” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A film that doesn’t condemn ignorance but dreams, dreams and shows (…) that inhabiting a 4:3 aspect ratio is not easy. It squeezes. It overwhelms” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“This domestic fantasy is a delight. Intimate and full of understanding and love, attentive to the details with some really beautiful touches” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“The way the film looks at the big picture (sacrifices of time, money and lives) and the small, inside an empty man tortured by the death of his daughter, is fascinating” Oti Rodriguez Marchante, ABC

“A wonderful hybrid, a magnificent beast combining thriller and documentary, spy film and the portrait of a person who reveals his thoughts about life, friendship, violence and peacemaking. As emphatic as he is moral and unreserved” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Genuine, real, vivid and stimulating” Oti Rodriguez Marchante, ABC

“With its Fincherian pace and penchant for long takes at high-tension moments, Sorogoyen and Peña have created a scandal thriller for a realm permanently immersed in scandal” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“A masterfully-directed film” Harkaitz Cano, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Antonio de la Torre is colossal in a huge and relevant role. His distinctive style shines” Ricardo Aldarondo, EL CORREO

“Sorogoyen shines once again doing what he does best (…) a disconcerting, enraged, electric and timely film” Luis Martinez, EL MUNDO

“Powerful, magnificent and mysterious” Luis Martinez, EL MUNDO

“A cinematographic work which is proudly unidentified (…) Jaquemet is still on top form” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“Prompts a smile (as excited as they get) from the most loyal cinephile” Victor Esquirol, GARA

“Steeped with the essence of the New Wave” Alex Zubiria, DEIA

“An enjoyable ride, poisonous beneath its seemingly superficial veneer” Gontzal Agote, BERRIA

“A daring script that walks a line between fantasy and comedy” Ricardo Aldarondo, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A surprising journey through the pain of bereavement” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Ana Brun, star of the show, comes into her own in one of the most breathtaking performances of the season” GARA

“Aroonpheng’s great achievement is to convey a sense of humanist outrage while telling an involving, sometimes headily perplexing story in a magical realist register. This rich feature threads together a set of diverse but poetically ‘rhyming’ images (…) a set of similarly glowing gems that emerge from the forest floor, and a horrific image of other human treasures hidden in the earth” Jonathan Romney, SCREEN DAILY

“A succession of fascinating and powerful images (…) so beautiful, so hypnotic” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Romanticism that goes against the grain (…) this other style of falling in love is to be savoured” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“How breathtaking (…) What a delight to let yourself be carried away by the music, to immerse yourself in this story of love/indifference (…) What a joy to lose yourself (…) in the exquisite black and white images (…) Not one word, gesture or detail is lacking nor wasted in this subtle, restrained and admirably condensed work” Mikel G. Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Astonishingly well-connected, Toulouse Lautrec, the Moulin Rouge, a young African girl and the shadow of Fantômas (…) fill the screen” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Deeply humane (…) and newcomer Polster proves every bit as impressive” Peter Debruge, VARIETY

“A drama that seizes and holds you (…) Carell and Chalamet both give excellent performances” Owen Gleiberman, VARIETY

“A docudrama in the most authentic and exciting sense of the word (…) so revelatory in its realism, so gritty in its physicality, that it becomes a drama of thrillingly hellbent danger and obsession” Owen Gleiberman, VARIETY

“A joyful and playful film taking in life, prison, language, literature, coke, bars, guns, son, wife, father and anarchist graffiti” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Intelligence, human knowledge, irony and laughter with two exemplary actors. (…) I left the cinema with a much-appreciated smile on my face. I suspect the same thing will happen to the majority of viewers” Carlos Boyero, EL PAÍS

“Brilliant dialogue, emotion, a touch of irony and great performances” Mitxel Ezquiaga, EL DIARIO VASCO

“Everything flows pleasantly with elegance and melancholy (…) even more fantastic than Woody Allen’s Manhattan” Luis Martínez, EL MUNDO

“Everything works perfectly in Juan Vera’s film: the eminent actors, the beautiful Argentine backdrops and torrential Argentine dialogues” Oskar Belategi, DEIA

“Ricardo Darín and Mercedes Morán together are like a philharmonic orchestra, (…) the textual elements of the film are exceptional, magnificent. The actors’ dialogues hit the mark every time” Oti Rodríguez Marchante, ABC

“Simply monumental. (…) As physical as it is subtle. As delicate as it is premature. As tumultuous as it is intimate” Begoña del Teso, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A finely-crafted, beautifully realized debut that exquisitely balances character study with shrewd commentary on class, desire, and the lingering privileges of Paraguay’s elite” Jay Weissberg, VARIETY

“One of the most honest and overflowing portraits of a film artist that I can remember seeing (…) it captures Bergman as the tender and prickly, effusive and demon-driven, tyrannical and half-crazy celebrity-genius he was” Owen Gleiberman, VARIETY

“Vibrant and implacable, staying true to the essence of the plot, this outstanding feature-length animation succeeds in capturing the tension, cruelty and longing which arise along each stretch of a meticulously-described journey” Koldo Landaluze, GARA

“One of the most interesting films of the year (…) Vibrant and dense, it moves along at a terrible and sometimes abrupt pace. The story is never sweetened and the film maintains the rigour of a journalistic documentary and the power of a carefully-put-together animation, somehow managing—almost miraculously­—to be spectacular, emotive and reflective at the same time” Mikel G.Gurpegui, EL DIARIO VASCO

“A deeply respectful, artful and compassionate eye outward, to the struggles of others, and finding such empathy there that the film amounts to a heartfelt statement of solidarity” Jessica Kiang, VARIETY

“A profound and melancholic reflection on death and the ghosts of the past (…) Life and death come together joyously, and youth and old age are thrown together into a dance.”
Angel Aldarondo, BERRIA

“The final jewel of the competition (…) We’re left agape by the wonder of the moving images, of how they talk of life, of death, of themselves…and, of course, of Jean-Pierre Léaud.”
Víctor Esquirol, GARA

“With miraculous precision, the film seeks the almost-imperceptible moment when the image is at its most radically natural, and is most evidently beautiful (…) Breathtaking.”
L. Martinez, EL MUNDO

“Not only the direction but the other ingredients too are top-notch: the acting, the production, the music, and especially the cinematography.”
Angel Aldarondo, BERRIA

“Easily the most brutal, forceful, provocative and volatile — all in the best sense of the word — that we’ve seen.”
L. Martinez, EL MUNDO

“Glenn Close is excellent in this literary drama.”
Andrew Barker, VARIETY

“Drawing on an excellent script written by the director and Rebecca Zlotowski, The Price of Success unfolds simply and efficiently, at a fast pace, skilfully toying with ellipsis.”
Fabien Lemercier, CINEUROPA

“A top-notch performance by Brynolfsson.”
Stefan Dobroiu, CINEUROPA

“This story of family in conflict with faith delivers an emotional payoff all the more telling for being so rigorously calibrated.”
SCREENDAILY

“Director Daniel Kokotajlo’s feature film debut, Apostasy, gives us a fascinating gaze into the world of Jehovah's Witnesses.”
Kaleem Aftab, CINEUROPA

“The characters exude naturalness through fantastic dialogues.”
Uxue Arzelus, BERRIA

“A pinnacle of romantic comedy.”
Koldo Landaluze

“James Franco brings us one of the most hilarious performances of the decade, and behind the camera has written a sincere and sophisticated love letter to cinema.”
Víctor Esquirol, EL DIARIO VASCO ESPECIAL

“The script goes beyond mere parody (…) Renowned star James Franco has gifted a spectacular work to all cinephiles. His performance of Wiseau is fantastic, and his direction wonderful.”
Angel Aldarondo, BERRIA

“Shoots for success like an arrow to the bullseye (…) so good it doesn’t need any awards.”
Alberto Moyano, EL DIARIO VASCO ESPECIAL

“The most fascinating movie of James Franco's wildly eccentric oeuvre.”
Peter Debruge, VARIETY

“Undoubtedly another candidate for the Golden Shell.”
Luis Martínez, EL MUNDO

“An intelligent and discursive perspective; an outstanding exercise in all-round contemplation.”
Angel Aldarondo, BERRIA

“A peculiar, well-told film with a local flavour and remarkable acting.”
Carlos Boyero, EL PAIS

“Involving, urgent and moving drama (…) a powerfully executed, richly human study (…) compellingly directed and acted”.
Jonathan Romney, SCREEN DAILY

“The nuances and contradictions of the characters make them incredibly human.”
Ricardo Aldarondo, EL DIARIO VASCO ESPECIAL

“Is breathtakingly beautiful and unimpeachably well-intentioned.”
Jessica Kiang, VARIETY

“A raw exploration of a world rarely seen before in Romanian films.”
Stefan Dobroiu