Perlak Section at San Sebastián: 14 Films Compete for the Audience Award Sponsored by the City of Donostia

San Sebastian International Film Festival

Fourteen films have been selected for the Perlak section of the 2024 San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain, competing for the prestigious City of Donostia / San Sebastián Audience Award. Sponsored by the San Sebastián City Council for the ninth consecutive year, the award allows the local audience to choose the winners, reinforcing the strong connection between the festival and its community. The award consists of two prizes: the Best Film Award, which comes with a €50,000 prize, and the Best European Film Award, carrying a €20,000 prize.

The Perlak section, sponsored by Armani Beauty, features films that have already garnered acclaim or won awards at other international festivals. All screenings are held at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, where the audience attending the first showing of each film casts their votes. The winners will be announced at the festival’s closing gala, forever linking their success to San Sebastián.

According to the Mayor of Donostia / San Sebastián, Eneko Goia, the Audience Award is one of the most meaningful honors the festival offers because it directly reflects the preferences of the public. "The public is the soul of our festival," he said, noting how Perlak’s selection brings some of the year’s most celebrated films to the local audience. He also emphasized the festival's role in promoting the city's cultural presence on the international stage, along with its dynamic collaborations with other sectors such as science and gastronomy.

Last year, J.A. Bayona’s La sociedad de la nieve / The Society of the Snow, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, won the Best Film Award, while the Best European Film Award went to Matteo Garrone’s Io capitano / I’m Captain, another standout from Venice.

Free Tickets for the Unemployed:

As part of its commitment to inclusivity, the San Sebastián City Council will distribute 1,000 free tickets to unemployed residents. The initiative allows those registered in San Sebastián and over the age of 18 to request tickets through the city's website or local offices. The festival’s director, José Luis Rebordinos, praised the initiative, saying it ensures that cinema remains accessible to everyone, regardless of economic circumstances. “As a festival, we do not want to ignore the social problems of our time,” he added, highlighting the importance of initiatives that reach beyond the festival's core film programming.

Perlak Films Competing for the City of Donostia / San Sebastián Audience Award:

1. "Emilia Pérez" / Jacques Audiard / France
2. "Ainda estou aqui" / Walter Salles / Brazil - France
3. "All We Imagine as Light" / Payal Kapadia / France - India - Netherlands - Luxembourg
4. "Anora" / Sean Baker / USA
5. "Apocalypse in the Tropics" / Petra Costa / Brazil
6. "Bird" / Andrea Arnold / United Kingdom
7. "Daney anjir maabed" / The Seed of the Sacred Fig / Mohammad Rasoulof / Iran - Germany - France
8. "En fanfare" / The Marching Band / Emmanuel Courcol / France
9. "Megalopolis" / Francis Ford Coppola / USA
10. "Memoir of a Snail" / Adam Elliot / Australia
11. "Oh Canada" / Paul Schrader / USA
12. "Parthenope" / Paolo Sorrentino / Italy - France
13. "The Substance" / Coralie Fargeat / United Kingdom
14. "Yeohaengjaui pilyo" / A Traveler's Needs / Hong Sangsoo / South Korea