The 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival runs September 18–26, 2026, highlighting a strong Basque cinema presence with 31 Basque-connected titles across festival strands, including 12 documentaries and 19 world premieres competing for the Irizar Basque Film Award.

The festival underscores Basque storytelling’s rising influence on both national and international stages, with ongoing emphasis on local voices and global collaborations.

Notable Basque entries include productions connected to rising talent and established directors, such as Gurrea’s Saints, which is drawing industry attention and international sales momentum.

Industry praise highlights Gurrea as a promising voice within contemporary Spanish cinema, with critics noting Saints as a milestone in his early career.

On the narrative front, the film centers on Lali, a drifter who returns to Barcelona to care for her estranged mother and becomes entangled with a gang that steals religious artifacts, forging a bond with their charismatic leader during escalating heists.

Beyond features, the festival spotlights emerging projects like Celina Murga’s The Rehearsals and Sira’s TV sequel to The Time in Between, reflecting broader industry activity across co-productions and platform strategies.

Spain’s financing and ownership model is emphasized, with co-financed windows across platforms and retained IP to bolster long-term asset value.

The Made in Spain program features Better Class by Victor García León, a contemporary family comedy-drama exploring parental ambition and class mobility.

The festival also spotlights established directors and new voices, including The Harvester, The Last Goodbye, and Pray for Us, with stories spanning historical crime, funeral-parlor comedy-drama, and Franco-era reformatories.

The cast features Victoria Luengo, Ariadna Gil, and Eulàlia Ramon, with Luengo having recent high-profile appearances including The Beloved at Cannes.

Movistar Plus unveiled a new slate and reiterated support for Spain’s industry, signaling strong domestic momentum for Spanish-produced content.

Upcoming directors like López and Javier Giner illustrate a trend of intimate, location-rooted Basque storytelling that blends local themes with universal appeal, reinforcing the region’s growing artistic identity.