Seventeen films compete for Zinemaldia New Directors Award

The New Directors section at the 60th edition of the San Sebastian Festival will present works by filmmakers from Denmark, Holland, France, Lebanon, Germany, UK, Romania, Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Brazil, China, Iran and Israel.

These titles join the three Spanish films already announced: Animals, by Marçal Forès, Chaika by Miguel Ángel Jiménez, and Los increíbles by David Valero. All compete for the Kutxa-New Directors Award, decided by an international Jury different to that of the Official Selection and carrying 90,000 euros to be shared between the director and Spanish distributor of the winning film.

The 60th edition will see the New Directors section take off independently. With this initiative, a move to give the section greater entity, the San Sebastian Festival expresses its intention to support new talent in the international film world and lend greater visibility to their works. It will also promote their distribution in our country.

7 CAJAS (7 BOXES)
Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tania Schémbori (Paraguay)
European premiere

Victor, 17, lives in Asunción and dreams of having a TV set. He agrees to deliver seven boxes in exchange for 100 dollars. It sounds like nothing could be easier, but the boxes contain something everyone wants. This directorial debut by Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schémbori won the Films in Progress Award at San Sebastian in 2011.

ANIMALS (ANIMALS)
Marçal Forés (Spain)
World premiere

Director Marçal Forés’s debut full-length film is a teenage love story, about sacrifice and the tragedy of two conflicting worlds, where the power of fantasy blurs its limits with reality... and in which death provides an end that is both tempting and inevitable.

CARNE DE PERRO (DOG FLESH)
Fernando Guzzoni (Chile-France-Germany)
World premiere

A project selected for several festivals, including Cannes, Berlin and Toulouse, about a complex moment in the life of Alejandro. A solitary, fragile and unpredictable man crushed by the hostility of his past. Second film by Fernando Guzzoni, whose directorial debut, La Colorina (2008), landed awards at several international festivals.

CHAIKA (SEAGULL)
Miguel Ángel Jiménez (Spain-Georgia-Russia)
World premiere

The second film by Miguel Ángel Jiménez (who already competed in 2009 at the Festival in the New Directors section with his debut film, Ori) is a love story between a prostitute and a loser sailor, rebuilt between two long seasons: the eternal winter of Siberia and the summer in the dusty steppes of Kazakhstan.

CORES (COLORS)
Francisco García (Brazil)
World premiere

A tale of love and cheating between three youngsters from São Paulo, a huge city in full economic upswing. Feature debut by Fernando García, selected for the Films in Progress section at the last Toulouse Festival.

DRAUSSEN IM SOMMER (SUMMER OUTSIDE)
Friederike Jehn (Germany-Switzerland)
World premiere

A teenage girl leaves Germany for Switzerland with her family in an effort to heal the open wounds between her parents, but the distance between them grows in an unusually hot summer. Second film from the director Friederike Jehn, who debuted in 2008 with the film Weitertanzen/Dancing On and On.

LOS INCREÍBLES (THE INCREDIBLES)
David Valero (Spain)
World premiere

Short-film maker David Valero’s debut film is a non-fiction film that tells the story of three everyday heroes: Broken Wing, The Iron Lady and the Radioactive Woman. Three people who suffer the adversities that life throws up and fight the most terrifying villains: death, lack of affection and loneliness.

LE JOUR DES CORNEILLES (DAY OF THE CROWS)
Jean-Christophe Dessaint (France-Belgium)
International premiere

An animated film with the voices of Jean Reno, Isabelle Carré and Claude Chabrol. The tale of a boy who leads a wild existence deep in the forest until the day he discovers civilised life in a neighbouring village and meets a girl who lives there. First feature by Jean-Christophe Dessaint, an animator of long standing in France, Korea and Japan and who collaborated with Joann Sfar on Le chat du rabbin (2011).

LAYALI BALA NOOM / SLEEPLESS NIGHTS (SLEEPLESS NIGHTS)
Eliane Raheb (Lebanon-Dubai)
World premiere

Winner of the Cinema in Motion Award at last year's San Sebastian Festival. Through the stories of Assaad Shaftari, an ex high rank leader in a Christian militia, responsible for many killings during the Lebanese Civil War, and Maryam Saiidi, a mother of a kidnapped young fighter, this documentary by Eliane Raheb looks closely at war wounds and asks if redemption and forgiveness are possible.

EL LIMPIADOR (THE CLEANER)
Adrián Saba (Peru)
World premiere

A crime-scene cleaner takes charge of a child orphaned during an epidemic breakout in Lima. A peculiar story of tolerance and understanding will unfold where you would least expect it. Directorial debut from Adrián Saba, a young filmmaker with a long career in audiovisual production.

THE LOVE SONGS OF TIEDAN (THE LOVE SONGS OF TIEDAN)
Hao Jie (China)
World premiere

At the Northwest of China, there is a show called Er-ren tai, which combine elements of all Chinese folk songs into a form of performance that stirs the blood of the common people. Tiedan sings his love of "Sister" May and her three daughters. Second work from the Chinese filmmaker Hao Jie, who previously competed in 2010 in the New Directors section at San Sebastian with his directorial debut, Single Man.

PARVIZ (PARVIZ)
Majid Barzegar (Iran)
World premiere

Parviz is a man in his fifties who has lived his entire life in his father's home and has never held a job. His quiet routine suddenly comes apart the day his father decides to remarry and tells him to move out. Second film by Majid Barzegar, who competed with his directorial debut, Fasle Baranhaye Mousemi / Rainy Seasons (2010), at the Rotterdam and Montreal festivals.

ROCKER (ROCKER)
Marian Crisan (Romania)
World premiere

Victor, a rocker in his forties, is ready to do anything for his drug-addicted son: he'll help the boy and his rock band to prepare an upcoming live concert. Second film by the Romanian director Marian Crisan, who won the Special Jury Prize and Youth Jury Award at the Locarno Festival with her previous film, Morgen.

SHELL
Scott Graham (UK)
World premiere

The tale of Shell, who lives with her father Pete in their remote petrol station in the Scottish Highlands, of their fight against the elements, and of their impossible love for each other during a winter that will be her last one at the fuel stop. Scotland's Scott Graham makes his directorial debut with an adaptation of his short Shell, winner at the London Short Film Festival. His next short, Native Son, was premiered at the Cannes Critics' Week in 2010.

SHESH PEAMIM / SIX ACTS (SIX ACTS)
Jonathan Gurfinkel (Israel)
World premiere

A realistic paraphrase of a classic teen-movie, a deep dive into the "grey zone" of sexual abuse told through the story of Gili, a teenager who in order to improve her lame social status hooks up with several different boys, all from her new school. First feature by Jonathan Gurfinkel, a filmmaker actively dedicated to the field of advertising, documentary and television since 1994.

SILENT CITY (SILENT CITY)
Threes Anna (Holland-Luxembourg-Belgium)
World premiere

A psychological portrait of a young European woman who faces the harsh loneliness of Tokyo in order to master the secrets of the Japanese art of filleting fish. Second film by director Threes Anna, who made her feature debut in 2007 with The Bird Can't Fly, competitor in the New Directors section at the 55th edition.

VICEVÆRTEN / A CARETAKER'S TALE (A CARETAKER'S TALE)
Katrine Wiedemann (Denmark)
World premiere

Is a poetic yet disturbing and controversial story of Per, a harsh and bitter caretaker with a lowlife son who just got out of prison and two pathetic friends he bosses around. One day he discovers a young beautiful woman lying naked in an empty apartment, wrapped in a curtain. Apparently she’s up for grabs. The girl is happy and willing – almost like a gift from above. Per brings her home to his own apartment and her innocence awakens something new in him and his friends – love perhaps? Second film by Katrine Wiedesmann, prestigious Danish theatre director who made her film debut in 2000 with Fruen på Hamre / The Lady of Hamre.