Albert Serra’s bullfighting documentary Tardes de Soledad was awarded September 28 the Golden Shell of the San Sebastian Festival’s 72nd edition. The film follows bullfighter Andrés Roca Rey over the course of one day, “from the moment he dresses up to the moment he undresses.”
The 125-minute film is co-produced by Albert Serra and Montse Triola for Tardes de Soledad AIE (Spain), Luis Ferrón and Pedro Palacios for Lacima Producciones (Spain), Pierre Olivier Bardet for Idéale Audiences (France), and Joaquim Sapinho for Rosa Filmes (Portugal).
Elsewhere, the feature doc Chaplin – Spirit of the Tramp, directed by the legendary actor/director’s granddaughter Carmen Chaplin won the Irizar Basque Film Award. The San Sebastian synopsis reads how, featuring exclusive interviews and unprecedented access to the Chaplin estate, the film is a revealing exploration of Chaplin’s Romany heritage constructed from intimate interviews, film extracts, home movies and contributions from renowned contemporary Roma artists.
The 90-minute Chaplin – Spirit of the Tramp is a Spanish/UK/Netherlands co-production between Wave of Humanity, Basque Films and Atlantika Films (all Spain); Kwanon Films (UK) and Submarine Sublimse (Netehrlands). Sales are handled by Films Constellation (UK).
Special Mentions went to two documentaries.
The Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Special Mention went to Monólogo Colectivo (Collective Monologue) by Jessica Sarah Rinland (Argentina). Intimate and fragmented moments unfold in a community of zoos and animal rescue centres across Argentina. As histories of these institutions are uncovered, dedicated workers commit both day and night to caring for the remaining enclosed animals, fostering a mutual bond that transcends imagined boundaries between human and animal.
The Kutxabank-New Directors Special Mention went to Antón Álvarez for his debut film La guitarra flamenco de Yerai Cortés.This movie, starring Yerai Cortés, revolves around a family secret that needs to be told.
