The 74th San Sebastian International Film Festival opened in the Basque coastal city with a gala that combined a career tribute, a film premiere and a set of political statements from the stage. The festival, one of the longest running events on the European film calendar, is scheduled to run through September 26 and holds top-tier status among international competitions. Fatih Akin’s fantasy drama Ghost Song was selected as the opening night film to launch the official selection.
The opening ceremony’s central tribute went to Werner Herzog, who received the Donostia Award, the festival’s honorary prize for career achievement. Orlando Bloom presented the award to the German director, whose work spans both narrative features and documentaries. Herzog used his acceptance to recall his connection to the Basque region, where he filmed parts of Aguirre, the Wrath of God in 1972. “It is a country of poetry,” he said. “It’s a country of poets.”
The ceremony also carried a clear political element. Its hosts expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people and said they were joining voices calling for an end to what they described as the genocide in Gaza, a statement that drew applause from the audience inside the venue. The organizers also voiced support for the directors of the film Naza, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, referencing pressure they said the filmmakers had faced from the Israeli government.
The edition marks a change in the festival’s leadership. Jose Luis Rebordinos is overseeing his final program as director after 17 years in the role. Maialen Beloki has been named as his successor and is due to take over in January 2027. The transition added significance to this year’s opening for long-time attendees and the local film community.
Herzog’s Donostia Award places him among the directors and performers the festival has honored over its history, a prize it has used to recognize figures from both European and international cinema. With Ghost Song setting the program in motion on opening night, the festival’s official selection and competition screenings were set to continue across the following week ahead of the closing awards ceremony at the end of the run.
