19 titles compete in San Sebastian's Zabaltegi-Tabakalera

Diop, Miike, Bonello join line-up

by Amber Wilkinson

I Was At Home, But
I Was At Home, But Photo: Nachmittagfilm

The San Sebastian Film Festival has announced the 19 titles that will make up its Zabaltegi-Tabakalera section - including films by Mati Diop, Takashi Miike and Bertrand Bonello.

The strand will comprise 13 features - including four world premieres - alongside a medium length film, four shorts and a series.

The winning film will receive 20,000 euros (£18,300), with the director receiving about a third of the cash and the film's Spanish distributor awarded the rest.

Films premiering in the section are Andres di Tella's Private Fiction, inspired by his own parents letters and the mid-length Land Underwater, directed by Maddi Barber, that documents the story of a controversial dam, plus Play, directed by Antonio Marciano, which tells the tale of a teenager who documents his own life. Also enjoying a world premiere is six-episode series The Prosecutor, the President and the Spy, directed by Justin Weber, probing the death of an Argentine prosecutor who accused his president of collusion with Iran.

Several other contenders premiered in Cannes, including Diop's Grand Jury prize-winning Atlantics - about a construction site love triangle - and Bonello's Haiti-set Zombi Child. Miike's boxer and yakuza tale First Love and Diao Yinan's gangster tale The Wild Goose Lake also made their bow at the French festival.

Among films heading to the competition from Berlin is Denis Côté's Ghost Town Anthology, about strange goings on in the wake of an accident, and Silver Bear winner I Was At Home But, a tale of a boy's disappearance, directed by Angela Schanelec.

The festival will run from September 20 to 28.

Share this with others on...
News

Driving for authenticity Julian Swiezewski on trucking, gay romance and the power of normality in Flesh And Fuel

Untold history Christophe Réveille on his documentary Che Guevara: The Last Companions

In totality Reuben Hamlyn on the intersections of ordinary life with horrific acts, and Sunday's Children

A specific universe Mads Mikkelsen on working with Anders Thomas Jensen and making The Last Viking

Sentimental miseducation Nicolangelo Gelormini on fearlessness, ideas of love and La Gioia

Sweetness and light Natalie Erika James on literary inspirations, colour coding and Saccharine

More news and features

We're bringing you news, reviews and more from Cannes and Queer East.



We're looking forward to Tribeca.



We've recently brought you coverage of the San Francisco Independent Film Festival, Visions du Réel, Fantaspoa, Overlook, BFI Flare and SXSW, the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, the NY Rendezvous with French Cinema, the Glasgow Film Festival, the Berlinale, Sundance and Palm Springs.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

Don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.


It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest:


Cannes The 2026 Palme d'Or has gone to Fjord


Cannes Everytime wins Un Certain Regard prize


Cannes Yuri wins Palm Dog for La Perra


Cannes La Gradiva tops Critics' Week awards


Cannes Director's Fortnight award winners announced


Cannes A standing ovation for Bruce Dern