Colombian filmmaker Laura Mora, with her latest feature, has won the Golden Shell in main competition at the 70th San Sebastian Film Festival. The Kings of the World (Los reyes del mundo).
Billed as a subversive tale of disobedience, friendship, and dignity, the film follows five boys living on the streets of Medellín who set out on a journey in search of the promised land. The film is co-produced by Colombia and Luxembourg, France, Mexico, Norway, and Mexico.
This is the third year running that a film helmed by a woman has taken home the Golden Shell following Dea Kulumbegashvili’s Start in 2020 and Alina Grigore’s Blue MoonLast year. This is also the first time a Colombian production has picked up San Sebastian’s top prize in the festival’s seven decades.
Other main competition awards included the Silver Shell for Best Director with Japanese Writer Genki Kawamura Hundred Flowers (Hyakka).. The animated feature is Kawamura’s feature debut and is based on his 2019 novel of the same name. Dong Yun Zhou, Wang Chao and Wang Chao were awarded the Best Screenplay Award for their contributions to this project. A Woman (Kong Xiu).
The festival’s two gender-neutral acting awards went to Carla Quílez for La MaternalPilar Palomero directed and Paul Kircher directed this production. Winter Boy, directed by Christophe Honoré. Renata Lerman won the Best Supporting award for Diego Lerman’s El suplente: The Substitute.
This year’s official competition jury was headed by Argentinian producer Matías Mosteirín. Glenn Close was initially set to head the jury, but he had to leave due to a family emergency. The jury was rounded out by French casting director and filmmaker Antoinette Boulat, Danish filmmaker Tea Lindeburg, Spanish writer Rosa Montero, Lesotho filmmaker Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese and Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason.
San Sebastian’s closing night awards gala concluded with the world premiere of MarloweNeil Jordan’s latest movie, starring Liam Neeson & Diane Kruger. They were all present.