I went to the 71st San Sebastian International Film Festival

What an odd experience

Every year I ask the San Sebastian International Film Festival for a press pass through a tiny cinema blog I own, and every year they say yes. The reasoning behind this decision remains a mystery but we’re not here to ask questions.

I’m going to give you a very quick review of everything I’ve watched this edition. Bear in mind, though, that I have very little tolerance for content that will ruin my week, and the SSIFF doesn’t do trigger warnings -I have tried; they have very much ignored me-, so I have left many screenings halfway through.

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (Raven Jackson, 2023)

What is this movie about? I wish I could tell you. I just remember many close ups and scenes that felt like they would never ever end. I managed to stay for around 40 minutes before finally accepting that things were not going to get any better, and left this unbelievably boring screening with no remorse.

The Practice (La práctica, Martín Rejtman, 2023)

Light comedy that follows a yoga teacher whose life is and stays an utter disaster because he keeps listening to the wrong people and prioritising the wrong things. It won’t change your life but it is fun to watch.

MMXX (Cristi Puiu, 2023)

The first chapter of this film is quite tolerable -a therapy session-; the second chapter is bad -a woman yelling on the phone trying to find her friend, who was admitted into a hospital-; the third chapter features two gentlemen discussing in excruciating detail the shape and quality of one of their ex-girlfriends breasts; the fourth chapter I didn’t reach because I was no longer in the room. Pretty terrible.

Un Amor (Isabel Coixet, 2023)

Extremely grim drama about a woman who moves to a depressing village where everyone sucks, and then gets involved with a disgusting man who low key rapes her. It’s all horrible but it is actually a pretty good movie 🤷‍♀️ especially as a reminder of how low we can stoop when we are blinded by loneliness.

The Successor (Le Successeur, Xavier Legrand, 2023)

A fashion designer has to deal with his estranged dad’s funeral, which leads him to make a horrible, horrible discovery. It was looking great and you should probably watch it, but I got too scared to stay until the end. I quietly escaped the theatre in the darkness like the coward I am.

The Rye Horn (O corno, Jaione Camborda, 2023)

A woman in Spain in the 70s helps other women when they give birth but also secretly when they need to terminate a pregnancy, until something goes very wrong with the latter and the protagonist has to flee. I liked the idea but I didn’t find the film particularly engaging, so I didn’t finish this one either. In this case leaving the place was quite easy because the very anxiety-inducing start of the movie -a woman giving birth with no pain management- got people fainting left and right at different sessions including mine, so I just used the interruption to sneak out while a woman was taken out of the room by some paramedics. This festival really is an adventure sometimes.

This Excessive Ambition (Esta ambición desmedida, Santos Bacana, Cris Trenas and Rogelio González, 2023)

A documentary about how singer C Tangana and his team (his friends and family, that is) attempt and kinda manage to pull off an extraordinarily expensive tour. It’s a bit too long and chaotically structured at times but it sheds some light on how the music industry works and C Tangana’s personality and work ethic make the whole thing worth a watch.

Red Island (L’île rouge, Robin Campillo, 2023)

The day-to-day of a bunch of families in a military base in Madagascar, mostly seen from the perspective of one of their children. I seem to be on my own with this one because everyone I’ve asked has said this movie was a waste of time, but the creepy vibes kept me invested in the family and neighbourhood dynamics and I found the sudden change of POV that closes the movie bold and refreshing.

Dumb Money (Craig Gillespie, 2023)

The GameStop case from a couple of years ago. Engaging but a bit too formulaic and extremely confusing if you are as illiterate about the stock market as I am. Still, quite a decent entertainment.

The Blue Star (La estrella azul, Javier Macipe, 2023)

A singer who goes off traveling to meet an admired musician in hopes of getting his passion back. Although a bit boring when it starts, it picks up the pace and ends up being a really cute movie.

Great Absence (Kei Chika-ura, 2023)

Family tragedy that made me doze off, but to be fair I think this one may be on me because I was really tired. I have heard good things.

A Real Job (Un métier sérieux, Thomas Lilti, 2023)

Cheesy dramatic comedy about how all school teachers are unappreciated heroes and how they are all one student’s tantrum away from setting a classroom on fire. It has potential but it ends up being quite forgettable.

Dance First (James Marsh, 2023)

Samuel Beckett’s life explained in a conversation he has with himself. It’s quite light and easy too watch but at this point I am tired of all biopics looking like copies of the same movie, so this wasn’t really for me.

The Killer (David Fincher, 2023)

Brilliant when we just keep company to an assassin while he waits for his victim to show up, this film becomes generic and a little mediocre as soon as it moves onto a more action-like plot. It holds up because Fassbender is fantastic and because Fincher’s stuff is just fascinating to look at, but besides the beautifully tedious first few minutes, not much more of the film is particularly remarkable.

That’s it. Have a lovely day and watch movies 🍿💙