SPAIN GETS READY FOR THE 61ST SAN SEBASTIÁN FILM FESTIVAL

From 20 until 28 September, San Sebastián will come alive with the 61st annual film festival. This key celebration of all things cinematic is held in the bustling Basque city of San Sebastián and over the last six decades it has become one of the most important cinema festivals in the world.

Over the years, the San Sebastián Festival has hosted some hugely important events in the history of cinema, including the international premier of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo and the European premier of Star wars. Past years have seen attendance by stars such as Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep and Naomi Watts, and this year promises to be just as glamorous.

One of the highlights of the festival is the annual Donostia Award. This prestigious title was created in 1986 and is presented to a great film personality in recognition of their work and career. This year will see Hugh Jackman taking the title before the screening of his latest film, Prisoners.

The festival celebrates films from 16 different categories and this year 11 films have been selected for the “Made in Spain” section of the festival, which presents some of the best Spanish productions of the year. The other sections include New Directors, Films in Progress, Movies for Kids and Culinary Zinema – Film & Gastronomy.