Tag Archives: San Sebastian Film Festival

San Sebastian Film Festival Kicks Off With ‘Emmanuelle’ World Premiere

The 72nd San Sebastian Movie Competition is underway after the world premiere of Audrey Diwan‘s racy flick Emmanuelle kicked off the festivities in Spain.

The movie, which boasts stars reminiscent of Noémie Merlant (Portrait of a Girl on Fireplace), Naomi Watts (Mullholland Drive, Birdman), Will Sharpe (The White Lotus) and Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Issues), is impressed by Emmanuelle Arsan’s erotic novel. Chacha Huang and Anthony Wong spherical out the forged, all of whom, barring Watts, appeared briefly onstage earlier than the exhibiting on the metropolis’s Kursaal Theater.

The director’s mission facilities round a girl, Emmanuelle (Merlant), on a enterprise journey to Hong Kong working with a luxurious resort group. Looking for a misplaced pleasure, she seeks her arousal in experiences with among the resort’s company. One in every of them, Kei (Sharpe), appears to always elude her. Diwan has stated the script was conceived as an exploration of eroticism within the post-#MeToo period.

Emmanuelle directed by Audrey Diwan.

Emmanuelle

The French filmmaker, who co-wrote Emmanuelle with Rebecca Zlotowski, received Venice’s prestigious Golden Lion in 2021 for her movie Taking place. It marks one in all San Sebastian Movie Competition‘s glitziest-ever lineups, with honors for Cate Blanchett, Javier Bardem and Pedro Almodóvar on the week’s agenda right here on the Spanish coast.

Almodóvar’s first English-language characteristic, The Room Subsequent Door, premiered to a whopping 17-minute standing ovation on the Venice Movie Competition earlier this month. The Spaniard dutifully thanked the gang because the movie’s stars, Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, stood with him.

San Sebastian has additionally picked up some heavy hitters forward of awards season with Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield’s We Reside in Time closing the fest, in addition to screenings of Edward Berger’s Conclave, Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis and Sean Baker’s Anora.

Neon has been introduced to be circling U.S. distribution rights. Emmanuelle will get its theatrical launch in France on Sept. 25 by Pathé.

Javier Bardem Gushes Over Penelope Cruz Accepting San Sebastian Honor

Spanish nationwide treasure Javier Bardem grew to become emotional Friday evening as he gushed over his spouse, Penélope Cruz, whereas accepting his Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award on the 2024 San Sebastian Movie Competition.

Bardem, who has had starring roles in Dune: Half Two, No Nation for Previous Males — which bagged him an Academy Award — and Skyfall, amongst myriad celebrated Spanish tasks like Huevos de Oro and El detective y la muerte, accepted the award from his siblings, Monica and Carlos Bardem, who paid tribute to their brother on the Kursaal Theater through the opening evening gala.

Bardem referenced his Silver Shell win for finest actor 30 years in the past, almost to the day, in 1994. “It was the start of a fantastic friendship with this lovely movie competition that has given a lot to me personally and professionally,” the actor mentioned.

“San Sebastian is a spot the place 30 years in the past I received an award that I nonetheless don’t consider they gave it to me, and I’m right here now receiving this one from my brother and sister who I really like and admire.” He took the chance to pay tribute to his household: “They educated me at a second my mom needed to be working 24 hours a day. … If I’m alive bodily, not solely spiritually and emotionally, it was my brother and sister caring for me, giving me their consideration and love.”

He added, “I wish to dedicate this award to 4 individuals: My mom, who’s current, she’s right here within the theater and she or he’s pleased, I can really feel that.”

However the greatest coos from the gang had been prompted when Bardem spoke candidly about his love for his spouse, Cruz, whom he married in 2010: “And to a lady who I really like and who I’ve shared a life with, I wish to thank and provides my deep gratitude for the human being you’re and how one can be liable for life, the lifetime of your kids, the lifetime of your loved ones, your mom, your folks, the lifetime of others, the many individuals that you simply don’t know that you simply endure for and also you maintain and undoubtedly the lifetime of this gentleman who’s right here, who loves you and thanks you very a lot for it.” He swiftly thanked their two kids, Leo and Luna.

Cruz smiled at her husband whereas he blew kisses within the path of her seat. The ability couple arrived hand-in-hand on the pink carpet for the occasion.

Bardem wrapped up his speech by thanking the movie competition and exiting the stage to raucous applause Friday night. He was meant to select the award up final 12 months however was pressured to delay as a result of SAG-AFTRA actors strike.

The 72nd San Sebastian Movie Competition, opening with Audrey Diwan’s Emmanuelle, runs from Sept. 20-28.