'Conclave'

Source: San Sebastian Film Festival

‘Conclave’

Edward Berger, Mike Leigh and Joshua Oppenheimer titles have joined the competition line-up at the San Sebastian International Film Festival (SSIFF, September 20-28).

Berger heads to San Sebastian with Toronto premiere Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, about a cardinal who is tasked following the Pope’s sudden death with supervising the conclave from which his successor will be chosen.

Mike Leigh is appearing in official selection for the first time, with UK-Spain co-production Hard Truths, another Toronto world premiere, starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Michele Austin. Leigh portrays the everyday life of a London family, addressing such issues as family relations, mourning and mental health.

It is joined by fellow Toronto premieres, Joshua Oppenheimer’s dystopian musical The End, and Gia Coppola’s Toronto title The Last Showgirl, starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Dave Bautista, about a seasoned showgirl who must plan for her future when her show closes after 30 years. 

The Mole Agent director, Chile’s Maite Alberdi, makes her first bid for the Golden Shell with her narrative fiction debut El Lugar De La Otra. When a popular writer kills her lover, the case captivates the shy secretary of the judge in charge of the case.

They will compete for the Golden Shell alongside two debuts, UK-Portugal filmmaker Laura Carreira’s On Falling and Chinese director Xin Huo’s Bound In Heaven.

Their films join Audrey Diwan’s Emmanuelle opening the competition and the four Spanish-produced titles, Albert Serra’s Tardes De Soledad, Iciar Bollain’s I’m Nevenka, Pedro Martín-Calero’s directorial debut The Wailing and Pilar Palomero’s Glimmers.

San Sebastian competition line-up 2024

El Lugar De La Otra (Chile) 
Dir. Maite Alberdi

On Falling (UK-Port) 
Dir. Laura Carreira

The Last Showgirl (US) 
Dir. Gia Coppola

Last Breath (Fr)
Dir. Costa-Gavras

Conclave (UK-US) 
Dir. Edward Berger

Bound In Heaven (China) 
Dir. Xin Huo

Serpent’s Path (Japan-Fr) 
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Hard Truths (UK-Sp) 
Dir. Mike Leigh

El Hombre Que Amaba Los Platos Voladores (Arg) 
Dir. Diego Lerman

The End (Den-Ger-Ire-It)
Dir. Joshua Oppenheimer

When Fall Is Coming (Fr) 
Dir. François Ozon

The Last Showgirl
Dir. Gia Coppola

Previously announced competition titles 

Emmanuelle (Fr)
Dir. Audrey Diwan

The Wailing (Sp-Arg-Fr)
Dir.
 Pedro Martín-Calero 

Glimmers (Sp)
Dir.
 Pilar Palomero 

I’m Nevenka (Sp)
Dir. Iciar Bollain 

Tardes De Soledad (Sp-Fr-Port)
Dir. Albert Serra