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San Sebastian Film Festival · 2018

San Sebastian Film Festival 2018

Official Competition

Programme

19 films · 10 reviews

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Alpha, The Right To Kill

Review preview for Alpha, The Right To Kill

Although strong in its documentary feel and scathing in its message, it otherwise runs through the Alpha to Omega of predictable thriller elements.

Amber Wilkinson · 3 out of 5
Set against the background of the government's crackdown on illegal drugs, the SWAT-led police force launches an operation to arrest a drug dealer, with a detective and his informant Elijah providing the intelligence.

(Country: Philippines; Year: 2018; Director: Brillante Mendoza; Writer: Troy Espiritu; Stars: Allen Dizon, Elijah Filamor, Baron Geisler)

Full review

Angelo

Trouble brews for a young African in Europe in the 18th century.

(Country: Austria, Luxembourg; Year: 2018; Director: Markus Schleinzer; Writer: Alexander Brom, Markus Schleinzer; Stars: Alba Rohrwacher, Christian Friedel, Larisa Faber, Michael Rotschopf, Dominic Marcus Singer, Gerti Drassl, Marisa Growaldt, Lukas Miko, Éric Gigout, Daniel Hoesl, Nilton Martins, Nancy Mensah-Offei, Makita Samba, Martine Schambacher, Ryan Nzogang)

An Unexpected Love

(Country: Argentina; Year: 2018; Director: Juan Vera; Writer: Daniel Cúparo, Juan Vera; Stars: Ricardo Darín, Mercedes Morán, Claudia Fontán, Luis Rubio, Andrea Pietra, Jean Pierre Noher, Claudia Lapacó, Chico Novarro, Gabriel Corrado, Andrea Politti, Norman Briski, Juan Minujín, Andres Gil, Ricardo Darín, Mercedes Morán)

Opening night

Baby (Bao Bei er)

A teenager with a genetic illness since birth is determined to save a newborn baby with the same condition.

(Country: China; Year: 2018; Director: Jie Liu; Stars: Yang Mi, Guo Jingfei, Lee Hong-Chi, Wang Yanjun, Zhu Shaojun, Yan Surong)

Bad Times At The El Royale

Review preview for Bad Times At The El Royale

A thriller that, although it could have done with judicious editing at the beginning and end, nonetheless delivers laughs, shocks and, most importantly, that sense of satisfaction that only comes when puzzle pieces come together with a resounding click

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at Lake Tahoe's El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of one fateful night, everyone will have a last shot at redemption... before everything goes to hell.

(Country: US; Year: 2018; Director: Drew Goddard; Writer: Drew Goddard; Stars: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Lewis Pullman, Chris Hemsworth, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Manny Jacinto, Nick Offerman, Xavier Dolan)

Full review

Closing night. Out of competition

Beautiful Boy

Review preview for Beautiful Boy

The performances are a tribute to a screenplay that avoids the worst indulgences of the urban jungle.

Angus Wolfe Murray · 3.5 out of 5
A father tries to help his son break his cycle of drug addiction.

(Country: US; Year: 2018; Director: Felix Van Groeningen; Writer: Luke Davies, Felix Van Groeningen, David Sheff, Nic Sheff; Stars: Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney, Christian Convery, Oakley Bull, Kaitlyn Dever, Amy Ryan, Stefanie Scott, Julian Works, Kue Lawrence, Jack Dylan Grazer, Ricky Low, Marypat Farrell, Amy Forsyth, Andre Royo)

Full review See: Luke Davies in conversation on the evolving scenes, the editing, Steve Carell, Maura Tierney and Amy Ryan as the parents in Felix van Groeningen's Beautiful Boy , Luke Davies in conversation on the screenplay and the circular structure of Felix van Groeningen's Beautiful Boy

Between Two Waters (Entre Dos Aguas)

Isra and Cheíto are two Roma brothers: Isra was sent to prison for drug dealing and Cheíto signed up for the Marines. When Isra is released from prison and Cheíto returns from a long mission, they return to San Fernando. Their reunion brings memories of their father’s violent death when they were children.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2018; Director: Isaki Lacuesta; Writer: Fran Araújo, Isa Campo, Isaki Lacuesta; Stars: Israel Gómez Romero, Francisco José Gómez Romero, Israel Gómez Romero, Francisco José Gómez Romero)

The Black Book

(Country: France, Portugal; Year: 2018; Director: Valeria Sarmiento; Writer: Camilo Castelo Branco, Carlos Saboga; Stars: Lou de Laâge, Stanislas Merhar, Niels Schneider, Jenna Thiam, David Caracol, Fleur Fitoussi, Tiago Varela da Silva, Vasco Varela da Silva, Victória Guerra, Joana Ribeiro, Catarina Wallenstein, Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet, François Deblock, Daniela Melchior, Filipe Vargas)

Blind Spot (Blindsone)

Review preview for Blind Spot

The veneer of technical excellence never quite takes your mind off the lack of substance beneath.

Amber Wilkinson · 2.5 out of 5
Real time drama about what happens when tragedy strikes a family.

(Country: Norway; Year: 2018; Director: Tuva Novotny; Writer: Tuva Novotny; Stars: Pia Tjelta, Oddgeir Thune, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Per Frisch, Carl Munck, Nora Mathea Øien, Marianne Krogh, Ellen Heyerdahl, Hilde Linseth Stømer, Teodor Barsnes-Simonsen, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Pia Tjelta, Oddgeir Thune, Per Frisch, Carl Munck)

Full review

The Candidate (El Reino, The Realm)

Review preview for The Candidate

The writers start from a place where the screw is already turned and, just when you think they can't get it any tighter, find new ways to increase the tension - matching their torque with action.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Manuel, an influential deputy secretary of an regional government who has everything going his way, finds himself fighting for survival when news of his involvement in a corruption ring leaks out.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2018; Director: Rodrigo Sorogoyen; Writer: Isabel Peña, Rodrigo Sorogoyen; Stars: Antonio de la Torre, Mónica López, Josep Maria Pou, Nacho Fresneda, Ana Wagener, Bárbara Lennie, Luis Zahera, Francisco Reyes, María de Nati, Paco Revilla, Sonia Almarcha, David Lorente, Óscar de la Fuente, Mona Martínez, Pepe Ocio)

Full review

A Faithful Man (L'Homme fidèle)

Review preview for A Faithful Man

Garrel knows his film is a confection rather than a banquet, so keeps things moving along at a serious clip

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
Rom-com love triangle with added kid.

(Country: France; Year: 2018; Director: Louis Garrel; Writer: Jean-Claude Carrière, Louis Garrel; Stars: Lily-Rose Depp, Louis Garrel, Laetitia Casta, Lily-Rose Depp, Louis Garrel, Laetitia Casta)

Full review See: Louis Garrel and Jean-Claude Carriere on A Faithful Man

High Life

Deep space drama.

(Country: Germany, France, UK, Poland, Canada, US; Year: 2018; Director: Claire Denis; Writer: Claire Denis, Jean-Pol Fargeau, Geoff Cox, Nick Laird; Stars: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André Benjamin, Mia Goth, Lars Eidinger, Agata Buzek, Claire Tran, Ewan Mitchell, Gloria Obianyo, Victor Banerjee, Jessie Ross, Juliette Picollot, Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André Benjamin)

Illang: The Wolf Brigade

Set in a distant future as riots rage because of the establishment of a joint North and South Korean government, a special police unit is formed to end the chaos.

(Country: Korea, South Korea; Year: 2018; Director: Kim Jee-woon; Writer: Kim Jee-woon, based on the book by Mamoru Oshii; Stars: Jung Woo-sung, Han Hyo-Joo, Gang Dong-won, Minho Choi, Heo Jun-ho, Shin Eun-soo)

The Innocent (Der Unschuldige)

A woman finds her religious faith shaken.

(Country: Switzerland; Year: 2018; Director: Simon Jaquemet; Writer: Simon Jaquemet; Stars: Anna Tenta, Judith Hofmann, Urs-Peter Wolters, Christian Kaiser, Anna Tenta, Judith Hofmann, Urs-Peter Wolters, Christian Kaiser)

In Fabric

Review preview for In Fabric

You might not think you're in the mood for buying, but his extravagant sales pitch is likely to win you over by the end.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Two stories about a cursed dress and its victims.

(Country: UK; Year: 2018; Director: Peter Strickland; Writer: Peter Strickland; Stars: Gwendoline Christie, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Caroline Catz, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Leo Bill, Hayley Squires, Richard Bremmer, Steve Oram, Julian Barratt, Karl Farrer, Gavin Brocker, Susanna Cappellaro, Fatma Mohamed, Sara Dee, Pano Masti)

Full review See: Interview with Peter Strickland about In Fabric

Quién Te Cantará

Lila Cassen was the most successful Spanish singer of the nineties until she mysteriously vanished from one day to the next. Ten years later Lila is preparing her triumphant stage comeback; however, shortly before the long-awaited date she is involved in an accident and loses her memory.

(Country: Spain, France; Year: 2018; Director: Carlos Vermut; Writer: Carlos Vermut; Stars: Najwa Nimri, Inma Cuevas, Natalia de Molina, Julián Villagrán, Carme Elias, Vicenta N'Dongo, Eva Llorach, Ignacio Mateos, Catalina Sopelana, Najwa Nimri, Inma Cuevas, Natalia de Molina, Julián Villagrán, Carme Elias, Vicenta N'Dongo)

Rojo

Review preview for Rojo

The writer/director casts his net wide, taking inspiration from auteurs like John Boorman and Sam Peckinpah through to freeze-frame moments that could slot straight into TV detective dramas of the time.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Violence is sparked on the eve of Argentina's dictatorship.

(Country: Argentina; Year: 2018; Director: Benjamín Naishtat; Writer: Benjamín Naishtat; Stars: Alfredo Castro, Darío Grandinetti, Andrea Frigerio)

Full review See: Benjamin Naishtat interview about Rojo

Vision

Review preview for Vision

In one shot, in absolute silence, we watch a single leaf fall down from high above; it is a moment so compelling that you will hesitate to interrupt it with a breath.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
A Frenchwoman enters a Japanese forest in search of a herb rumoured to be able to cure emotional pain.

(Country: France, Japan; Year: 2018; Director: Naomi Kawase; Writer: Naomi Kawase; Stars: Juliette Binoche, Masatoshi Nagase, Mari Natsuki, Juliette Binoche, Masatoshi Nagase, Mari Natsuki)

Full review

Yuli

Review preview for Yuli

It's in dance that the film's strength lies, illustrating, through choreography, Acosta's more abstract - and more negative - emotions, including fear, loneliness and lust.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
The true story of Carlos Acosta, a black Cuban dancer who rose from an impoverished childhood to find international acclaim as a ballet dancer with London's Royal Ballet.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2018; Director: Icíar Bollaín; Writer: Paul Laverty; Stars: Edison Manuel Olvera, Mario Elias, Carlos Enrique Almirante, Carlos Acosta, Santiago Alfonso, Andrea Doimeadiós, Laura De la Uz, Carlos Acosta, Keyvin Martínez, Cesar Domínguez, Yerlín Pérez, Carlos Enrique Almirante, Andrea Doimeadiós, Laura De la Uz, Keyvin Martínez)

Full review See: Icíar Bollaín and Paul Laverty on adapting Yuli - The Carlos Acosta Story for the big screen , Carlos Acosta on Yuli