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| Handia will premiere at the festival Photo: Courtesy of San Sebastian Film Festival |
The film - about three siblings threatened by something otherworldly after the death of their mother - was among the 21 films with Spanish production that were announced for the programme today (July 28). The selection will also include Antonio Méndez Esparza's Life And Nothing More, Basque champions Jon Garaño and Aitor Arregi's Handia and El autor by Manuel Martín Cuenca, the third time his films have been selected for competition at the Spanish festival.
The festival's showcase Pearls section will close with Fernando Leon de Aranoa’s Loving Pablo - which will have its premiere in Venice, which charts Pablo Escobar’s love affair with a TV presenter and starring Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz.
Mirroring the rise of television dramas at other festivals around the world, the festival will also present an original drama La Peste (The Plague), is a crime drama set against the backdrop of 16th century Seville, where the Bubonic plague is running rampant through the city.
El autor, a film about a wannabe novelist who starts manipulating reality in order to acquire inspiration and starring Javier Gutiérrez, María Leon and Antonio de la Torre. Handia, based on the true story of Miguel Joaquín Eleizegi (1818-1861), known as the Altzo giant, explores his human side and how he related to the society of his time and marks the second collaboration between Jon Garaño and Aitor Arregi after their Oscar-nominated Loreak (Flowers).
Having landed the Cannes Critics’ Week award for Aquí y Allá, his take on Mexican emigration, Antonio Méndez Esparza examines the life of a single mum and her 14-year-old son in Florida in Life And Nothing More.
The full list of Spanish films across the line-up is below
COMPETITION
El autor (Manuel Martin Cuenca, Spain, Mexico)
Handia (Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño, Spain)
Life And Nothing More (Antonio Mendez Esparza, Spain, U.S.)
OUT OF COMPETITION
Marrowbone (Sergio G Sanchez, Spain)
La Peste (Alberto Rodríguez, Spain)
SPECIAL SCREENING
Morir (Fernando Franco, Spain)
SPECIAL SCREENING, DONOSTIA AWARD
The Summit (Santiago Mitre, Argentina, Spain, France)
NEW DIRECTORS
Alberto García-Alix, La línea de la sombra (Nicolás Combarro, Spain)
Princesita (Marialy Rivas, Chile, Spain, Argentina)
HORIZONTES LATINOS
A Fantastic Woman (Sebastián Lelio, Chile, Germany, Spain, US)
Rey’s Education (Santiago Esteves, Argentina, Spain)
ZABALTEGI-TABAKLAERA
A Lot Of Kids, And A Monkey And A Castle (Gustavo Salmerón, Spain)
Shame (Juan Cavestany, Alvaro Fernández Armero, Spain)
Saura(s), (Felix Viscarret, Spain)
Plus Ultra (short)
Plagan (Plague) (short)
PEARLS
Loving Pablo (Fernando Leon de Aranoa, Spain, Bulgaria)
VELODROME
Fe de Etarras (Borja Cobeaga, Spain)
Operation Golden Shell (Operación Concha) (Antoni Cuadri, Spain, Mexico)
TVE SPECIAL SCREENING
Holy Camp (Javier Calvo, Juan Ambrosi, Spain)
International Students Meeting
The Wolfman (short)
