February 23rd, Leiva and another ETA infiltrator: the Spanish films competing in San Sebastian

The San Sebastian International Film Festival announced today the 22 Spanish-produced titles that will be part of its 73rd edition , which will take place from September 19 to 27, 2025. Of these, 17 are feature films, two are short films, and three are series. These works will compete in various sections, including the Official Section, New Directors, Horizontes Latinos, Zabaltegi-Tabakalera, Perlak, Made in Spain, and Velodrome.

In the Official Section, the festival will bring together filmmakers who began their careers in San Sebastián, such as Alberto Rodríguez, José Mari Goenaga, and Aitor Arregi. The latter two return with Maspalomas , which tells the story of Vicente, a 77-year-old man enjoying his life in this iconic tourist destination. Goenaga and Arregi, who previously presented Loreak and La trinchera infinita , are once again competing for the Concha de Oro following the success of their previous works. Additionally, José Luis Guerin , winner of the Special Jury Prize in 2001 with En construcción , presents Historias del buen valle / Good Valley Stories , a portrait of life in a Barcelona neighborhood with a large migrant population.

'Maspalomas' tells the story of Vicente, a 77-year-old man who enjoys his life in this iconic tourist destination.

Meanwhile, Alberto Rodríguez, one of the most award-winning directors in Spanish cinema, will participate with Los Tigres , a drama written with Rafael Cobos that follows the lives of two professional diving siblings, played by Antonio de la Torre and Bárbara Lennie. Rodríguez, who has already made his mark in San Sebastián with titles such as La isla mínima and El hombre de las mil caras , will be presenting for the seventh time in the Official Section.

In an edition marked by the return of big names, other out-of-competition offerings also stand out. Agustín Díaz Yanes will present Un fantasma en la batalla / She Walks in Darkness , a historical thriller about a young Civil Guard woman infiltrated by ETA (which seems to redeem the festival somewhat after not selecting La Infiltrada last year). Likewise, Alberto Rodríguez (who is participating as a double) will debut with the miniseries Anatomía de un instante , based on the book by Javier Cercas about the attempted coup d'état of February 23, 1981, starring Eduard Fernández, Álvaro Morte, and Manolo Solo.

Isaki Lacuesta and Elena Molina will explore the life of musician Antonio Flores through an innovative documentary approach in Flores para Antonio, part of the Special Screenings section of the Official Section. Óscar Jaenada and Ricardo Gómez star in La suerte / Fate, a six-part series directed by Paco Plaza (Valencia, 1973) and Pablo Guerrero (Lorca, 1975) about a taxi driver who suddenly becomes the chauffeur of a bullfighter and his crew.

Also worth mentioning is El último arrebato / The Last Rapture , the directorial debut of screenwriter Marta Medina (a regular critic for this newspaper) and producer Enrique López Lavigne , is presented as a profound non-fiction film focused on the figure of Iván Zulueta, author of the cult film Arrebato (1980). It will be a moving tribute to the figure of Zulueta, who marked a before and after in the history of Spanish cinema. Medina, known for her screenplay for Asedio (2023), and López Lavigne, with a long history as a producer of films for great Spanish filmmakers, tackle a little-known facet of Zulueta, capturing his unique vision and legacy.

'The Last Outburst' marks the directorial debut of Marta Medina (a regular critic for this newspaper) and producer Enrique López Lavigne.

Filmmaker Sergio Oksman also returns to the Festival with his new work , A Scary Movie , which premieres in Zabaltegi-Tabakalera. The film follows a documentary filmmaker and his 12-year-old son as they stay in an abandoned hotel in Lisbon. Oksman, known for his documentaries such as Goodbye, America (2006) and O futebol (2015), has garnered international critical acclaim, and his latest work promises to maintain the same experimental and emotional energy that characterizes his career.

Additionally, the Made in Spain section will open with the feature film Las delicias del jardín (The Delights of the Garden) , directed by Fernando Colomo. This work, which echoes the autobiographical and humorous tone of his previous films, features a star-studded cast, including Pablo Colomo, Carmen Machi, Antonio Resines, Brays Efe, and María Hervás. Colomo, known for his contributions to Spanish cinema since its early days, offers a new take on his style, marked by the nostalgia and humor that characterize his films.

The Velodrome will host two interesting screenings, including Rondallas / Band Together , the new work by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, who previously presented Diecisiete in the Official Section out of competition and showed Azuloscurocasinegro and Primos in Made in Spain. On this occasion, the feature film, starring Javier Gutiérrez, María Vázquez, Judith Fernández and Tamar Novas , tells the story of a Galician town that decides to revive the local rondalla (band band). Also screening will be Hasta que me quede sin voz (Until I'm Left Without a Voice) , a moving first-person portrait of the musician Leiva , who is facing a difficult situation following an irreversible injury to his vocal cords. The film, produced by Mario Forniés, directed by Sepia and edited by Lucas Nolla, offers an in-depth look at the life of the Madrid singer-songwriter.