The San Sebastián Film Festival opened its 74th edition this Friday with a ceremony shaped by the political present, the defense of cinema as a space for collective encounter, and recognition of some of the figures who have played a role in the festival’s recent history. Through September 26, the Basque city will host another edition featuring films by Fatih Akin, Jesse Eisenberg, Pablo Larraín, Mike Leigh, Ah Biao, Nicole Garcia, and other international filmmakers.

Opening ceremony hosts Fariba Sheikhan and Mariona Terés devoted their first remarks to the situation in Gaza. “We join the myriad of voices calling for an end to genocide, like the one happening in Gaza,” they said before the audience gathered at the Kursaal Auditorium.

“And we stand in solidarity with the directors of the film Naza, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, who have been threatened by the Israeli government,” the actresses added, prompting strong applause from the audience.

The San Sebastián Film Festival’s position on the war in Gaza continues a stance it has maintained in recent years. In 2025, the festival signed an open letter calling for an “immediate ceasefire” and expressing its rejection of “the unimaginable massacres to which the government of Benjamin Netanyahu is subjecting the Palestinian people since Hamas perpetrated the terrorist attack of 7 October 2023.” The issue was again present at several points during this year’s opening ceremony.

On the cinematic front, the festival opened with Ghost Song, Fatih Akin’s new fantasy drama, which is screening in the Official Selection in competition. The lineup also includes The Debut, directed by Jesse Eisenberg and starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti; Mis muertos tristes, Pablo Larraín’s horror series for Netflix; the world premiere of Fred Cavayé’s adaptation of Les Misérables; Tender Loving Care, by Mike Leigh; Border, Ah Biao’s Chinese-language feature debut; and Milo, directed by Nicole Garcia and starring Marion Cotillard. The festival will close with Le Faux Soir, by Belgian filmmaker Michaël R. Roskam.

One of the evening’s highlights was the presentation of the Donostia Award to Werner Herzog. The honor was presented by Orlando Bloom, who stars in Bucking Fastard and described the German filmmaker as a director who continues “to surprise and inspire audiences around the world” with his work.

“There is an incredible curiosity in the way he approaches filmmaking, and a willingness to follow an idea wherever it leads, even when it leads somewhere completely unexpected, and that spirit has defined his work for decades,” Bloom said.

“Whether he is exploring the extremes of nature, the strange corners of human behavior, or the boundaries between fact and fiction, Werner has always approached cinema as an adventure,” the actor continued. “What I admire most is that he never seems to make a film simply because a film is supposed to be made. There is always a genuine question behind it.”

Herzog responded to the honor by calling Bloom a “living legend” of cinema and returning to his connection with the Basque Country, which he traced back to the filming of Aguirre, the Wrath of God in 1972, a film inspired by the Basque soldier Lope de Aguirre.

“I feel a community,” Herzog said of his connection to the region. “I feel like as if I belong here. It is a country. It is a country of poetry. It’s a country of poets, and I receive this here from the poets. Thank you very much.”

The ceremony also featured a tribute to José Luis Rebordinos, who will step down as festival director after this edition, having led the festival for 17 years. Carlos Prada, Senior Vice President of Local Productions at Warner Bros. Spain, highlighted his contribution during the ceremony.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to José Rebordinos for his support, his dedication, and the extraordinary work he has carried out over the years,” Prada said. “His contribution has been fundamental in making the San Sebastián International Film Festival not only one of the great film festivals but also a respected cultural benchmark recognized worldwide.”

Maialen Beloki, the festival’s current deputy director, will take over as director in January 2027. Rebordinos had praised her experience and knowledge of the institution ahead of this year’s edition: “Maialen is a highly qualified professional with an in-depth knowledge of the festival. She has been part of the team for seventeen years, serving as deputy director for the last eleven of those. I can’t think of anyone better suited to the role.”