You can already smell cinema in the air in Donostia. The streets are buzzing, the Kursaal is fine-tuning its projectors, and a special electricity fills the atmosphere: the 73rd edition of Zinemaldia is just around the corner. If you’re one of us, if you feel that unique passion that only the seventh art can ignite, get ready, because this year is different. The harvest of Spanish films and series set to premiere at the San Sebastián Film Festival 2025 isn’t just good—it’s historic. So overwhelming in quality and quantity that it has even put the selection committee in a tight spot.
From Discover San Sebastián, we’ve prepared the most complete and detailed guide you will find. We’ve left nothing out. Whether you’re a local proud of your festival or a visitor coming to immerse yourself in it, we want you to know exactly what to see, what to expect, and why we are facing an edition that will be remembered for years to come. This isn’t just a list; it’s your passport to experiencing Zinemaldia 2025 like a true insider. Let’s begin!
A Record-Breaking Year: Spanish Cinema Shines with Its Own Light
“It has been the most difficult year to choose.” With this candid admission, Festival Director José Luis Rebordinos gave voice to a widespread sentiment during the presentation at the Film Academy in Madrid. When the quality is this high, the task of selection becomes what you might call a good problem to have. This year, 2025, is, without a doubt, a “great year for Spanish cinema,” a year that confirms we are living through one of the “most creative and diverse” eras in our cinematography.
This success is no accident. It is the fruit of the immense talent of our professionals and the collective effort of the entire industry. Recent triumphs at top-tier festivals like Cannes and Berlin are just the tip of the iceberg of a creative movement that will find its “truest reflection” in San Sebastián. That is why, as was rightly said at that “summer party of Spanish cinema,” we have every reason to be “proud of what is being done.” This festival, supported by key institutions like ICAA, RTVE, and Movistar Plus+, is the grand showcase of that strength.
The Fight for the Golden Shell: Spanish Films in the Official Selection
This is the heart of the festival, the competition everyone is watching. The Official Selection is where legends are born. This year, three powerful Spanish productions (with the door open for a possible fourth) will compete for the most coveted prize: the Golden Shell. The stage is set, and the standard is incredibly high.
Más palomas – The Return of Goenaga and Arregi
The directors of masterpieces like Handia and The Endless Trench, Jose Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi, are coming home. In Más palomas (More Doves), they introduce us to Vicente, a 76-year-old man played by the great José Ramón Soroiz, who is living a golden retirement of parties and pleasure in the Canary Islands. His idyllic existence is shattered by an accident that forces him to rethink everything. Known for their sensitivity and depth, Goenaga and Arregi promise an emotional and nuanced film.
Aquí historias del buen valle – The Unique Gaze of José Luis Guerín
The return of José Luis Guerín to San Sebastián is always a major event. Following the landmark achievement of En construcción (Under Construction), the filmmaker is back with a portrait of the Vallbona neighborhood in Barcelona. The film is presented as a “sum of imaginaries,” a mosaic that explores the social, generational, identity, and urban conflicts of the area. Guerín’s perspective is always both poetic and documentary-like, a window into realities that often go unnoticed.
Los tigres – Alberto Rodríguez and a Powerhouse Duo
Alberto Rodríguez (Marshland, Prison 77) is synonymous with intense, high-quality cinema. In Los tigres (The Tigers), he brings together two of the best actors in the national scene, Antonio de la Torre and Bárbara Lennie. They play siblings whose lives, intimately tied to the sea, are turned upside down when one of them suffers a serious accident. A potent drama about family bonds, guilt, and survival in an environment as beautiful as it is unforgiving.
Special Screenings: An Unprecedented Milestone in the Official Selection
The Zinemaldia 2025 program is so packed with great Spanish cinema that the Official Selection, out of competition, has had to make room for a record number of productions: six in total! This fact demonstrates the festival’s commitment to showcasing as many of these essential works as possible.
- Flores para Antonio: Isaki Lacuesta and Elena Molina delve into the figure of the unforgettable Antonio Flores. Through previously unseen archive footage and testimonials from his daughter Alba, his sisters Lolita and Rosario, and other artists, they build an intimate and musical portrait of a legend.
- Carmele: Director Asier Altuna adapts the acclaimed novel by Kirmen Uribe. Starring Jone Laspiur, Nagore Aranburu, and Eneko Sagardoy, the film promises to be a visual and emotional journey of great depth, bearing the unmistakable stamp of Basque auteur cinema.
- Un fantasma en la batalla: Agustín Díaz Yanes directs this thriller inspired by the largest undercover operation against ETA. With a stellar cast including Susana Abaitua, Andrés Gertrúdix, Iraia Elias, and Raúl Arévalo, tension is guaranteed.
- Anatomía de un instante (Series): Director Alberto Rodríguez adapts Javier Cercas’s monumental essay on the 23-F coup d’état. Featuring Álvaro Morte, Eduard Fernández, and Manolo Solo, this series promises a rigorous and gripping analysis of a key moment in our recent history.
- Cierzo (Series): Nagore Aranburu steps into the shoes of Inspector Nira García in this thriller directed by Koldo Almandoz. The discovery of a body in Bilbao triggers an investigation that will immerse us in the atmosphere of Basque noir.
- La suerte (Series): Paco Plaza and Pablo Guerrero direct this original story about a taxi driver (Ricardo Gómez) who becomes the chauffeur for a declining bullfighter (Óscar Jaenada) and his entourage. A drama that explores the world of bullfighting from a unique perspective.
The Parallel Sections: A Universe of Gems to Discover
If you’re wondering what to see at the San Sebastián Film Festival beyond the main spotlight, the parallel sections are your paradise. This is where hidden treasures, new talents, and the most daring proposals are found. And this year, the Spanish presence is overwhelming.
Perlak: Acclaimed Treasures Finally Arriving Home
The Perlak (“Pearls” in Basque) section brings us feature films that are unreleased in Spain but have already been awarded and acclaimed at other major festivals.
- Ciudad sin sueño: Guillermo Galofré’s debut, filmed in the Cañada Real with non-professional actors, was a sensation at the Cannes Critics’ Week, where it won the award for best screenplay. A raw, real, and necessary work that we can finally enjoy.
Zabaltegi-Tabakalera: The Window to the Most Innovative Cinema
This is the festival’s freest and most heterogeneous section, a space without rules where anything goes.
- Una película de miedo: Sergio Oksman explores the relationship between a father and son in an abandoned hotel in Lisbon, reflecting on cinema itself and its fears.
- El último arrebato: Marta Medina and Enrique López Lavigne make their directorial debut with a film that explores the life and work of cult filmmaker Iván Zulueta.
- Bariak (Short Film): Basque filmmaker Lur Olaizola directs this piece on the variations of grief, which won the WIP Europa award and was selected at the Berlinale.
- Good Sister: A co-production with Germany directed by debutante Samira Fansa, which tells the story of a young woman who must confront the rape accusation against her beloved brother.
Horizontes Latinos: The Spanish Touch in Latin American Cinema
This section, dedicated to Latin American production, features two films with Spanish co-production.
- La misteriosa mirada del flamenco: The debut of Chilean director Diego Céspedes, which went through the festival’s development programs and triumphed at Cannes, is one of the most anticipated works.
- El mensaje: From Argentine director Iván Fund, a film that, after its participation in the Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum and WIP Latam, won the Silver Bear at the Berlinale.
New Directors: The Breeding Ground for Future Talents
The festival is committed to the future, and this section is proof. Dedicated to first and second works, this year it presents:
- Aro Berria: The debut of Basque filmmaker Miren Agur Meabe, who participated in the Ikusmira Berriak residency program, transports us to the labor struggles of the 1970s in the Basque Country.
- La lucha: The second feature from producer and cinematographer José Alayón, which explores the relationship between a father and daughter through the sport of Canarian wrestling.
The Grand Celebration at the Velodrome and the Opening Night
The San Sebastián Film Festival 2025 is also a public celebration, and its greatest exponent is the Antonio Elorza Velodrome. This year, it will host two very special world premieres: Rondallas, the new and awaited film by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, and Hasta que me quede sin voz (Until I Lose My Voice), a documentary that delves into the soul and abysses of the musician Leiva. The opening gala, for its part, will be headlined by Las delicias del jardín (The Garden’s Delights), the new comedy from the master Fernando Colomo, and the short film Abril no es invierno (April Is Not Winter), by filmmaker and activist Mabel Lozano.
Conclusion: A Historic Edition That Begins in Donostia
As you can see, the list is almost endless. The selection of Spanish films at the San Sebastián Film Festival for its 73rd edition is an unparalleled demonstration of strength, talent, and diversity. It is the confirmation that our cinema is experiencing an exceptional moment. San Sebastián will be the starting point for many of these works that will undoubtedly continue their journey to other theaters and festivals, culminating in the Goya Awards. We invite you to immerse yourself in the festival. Stroll through the city, breathe in the atmosphere, step into a cinema, and let yourself be surprised. You are in the best place in the world to love cinema.
And now it’s your turn. After reading this complete guide, which Spanish film or series are you most excited to see at Zinemaldia 2025? Tell us in the comments and share this article so no one misses a single detail!
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