The San Sebastian Film Festival just wrapped up, and the results are in—but they’re not without a few surprises that might just spark some heated debates. Imagine a 17-year-old girl torn between a prestigious university degree and a life of solitude as a cloistered nun. That’s the heart of Sundays (Los domingos), the Basque drama that snagged the prestigious Golden Shell award at this year’s festival. Directed by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, the film follows Ainara, a brilliant and idealistic teenager whose spiritual journey challenges her family’s expectations. But here’s where it gets controversial: Sundays beat out heavyweights like Edward Berger’s Ballad of a Small Player and Agnieszka Holland’s Franz, a biopic about Franz Kafka. Did the jury prioritize emotional depth over historical grandeur? You decide.
And this is the part most people miss: while Sundays took the top prize, it was The Voice of Hind Rajab that left audiences in tears—and not just because it won the Audience Award. Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, this gut-wrenching drama reconstructs the tragic death of six-year-old Hind Rajab, killed in Gaza City in January 2024. The film is based on actual voice recordings between Hind and Red Crescent volunteers, who desperately tried to save her. It’s a raw, unflinching look at the human cost of conflict—and it’s bound to divide opinions. Is it exploitation, or a necessary reminder of the innocent lives lost? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
Meanwhile, Joachim Lafosse’s Six Days in Spring walked away with not one, but two awards: the Silver Shell for Best Director and the Jury Prize for Best Screenplay. Lafosse, who spoke candidly about the film’s deeply personal origins, has crafted a story that resonates long after the credits roll. Elsewhere, Maspalomas, a queer drama by Jose Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi, earned Jose Ramon Soroiz a Silver Shell for Best Leading Performance, sharing the honor with Zhao Xiaohong for Her Heart Beats in Its Cage.
For a full list of winners, including Good Valley Stories (Special Jury Prize) and Weightless (New Directors Award), check out the details below. But first, ask yourself: In a year filled with such diverse and powerful storytelling, did the right films take home the top honors? Or did the jury miss the mark? Share your take—we’re all ears.
Full List of Winners – 73rd San Sebastian International Film Festival
- Golden Shell: Sundays, Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
- Special Jury Prize: Good Valley Stories, José Luis Guerin
- Silver Shell for Best Director: Six Days in Spring, Joachim Lafosse
- Silver Shell for Best Leading Performance: Her Heart Beats in Its Cage, Zhao Xiaohong; Maspalomas, Jose Ramon Soroiz
- Silver Shell for Best Supporting Performance: Belén, Camila Plaate
- Jury Prize for Best Cinematography: Los Tigres, Pau Esteve
- Jury Prize for Best Screenplay: Six Days in Spring, Joachim Lafosse, Chloé Duponchelle, Paul Ismaël
- New Directors Award: Weightless, Emilie Thalund
- Horizontes Latinos Award: A Poet, Simón Mesa Soto
- Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Award: The Ice Tower, Lucile Hadžihalilović
- Audience Award for Best Film: The Voice of Hind Rajab, Kaouther Ben Hania
- Audience Award for Best European Film: Little Amélie, Maïlys Vallade
- Irizar Basque Film Award: Sundays, Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
- Culinary Zinema Award: Mam, Nan Feix
- Special Mention: Belén, Dolores Fonzi
- RTVE Another Look Award: The Currents, Milagros Mumenthaler
- Spanish Cooperation Award: Good Valley Stories, José Luis Guerin
