Basque Cinema Takes Center Stage in San Sebastian: “Our Presence Is Everywhere”

“For the first time in a long time,” begins San Sebastian Film Festival director José Luis Rebordinos, “everyone in Basque cinema is working together: the producers, Basque TV, the Basque government, the festivals. When we have a problem, we discuss in the office — not in the media.”

He speaks as Basque cinema enters the white hot spotlight at Spain’s leading film festival, running Sept. 19-27. Amid a colossal 37 Basque features premiering at the event this year are three titles in competition, but all of them are bidding for the coveted Irizar Basque Film Award, a selection with its own specific jury.

“Basque presence is everywhere,” says Mar Izquierdo, coordinator of Zineuskadi, a non-profit working at the beating heart of Basque cinema production. “And we know that [San Sebastian Film Festival] is scared of putting more Basque presentations [into the lineup] because they want the films to be here because they’re worth it. But,” she continues,…