San Sebastián Adds Six Films to 2026 Golden Shell Race
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- San Sebastián Film Festival added six films to its 2026 Official Selection competing for the Golden Shell at the 74th edition (Sept. 18-26), joining 10 previously announced contenders from directors including Mike Leigh and Pablo Larraín.
- Jesse Eisenberg's "The Debut" stars Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti; Eisenberg wrote, directed, produced, acts in and composed music for the film, with A24 handling its U.S. release after Toronto.
- Fred Cavayé's new adaptation of Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables" stars Vincent Lindon, Tahar Rahim and Noémie Merlant, backed by Studiocanal, which also handles international sales.
- Amanda Kernell's "Brace Your Heart" follows a young woman fighting to preserve her father's reindeer herd; Nordisk Film Production produced, with TrustNordisk handling international sales ahead of its Toronto world premiere.
- Gabriel Martins' "On Behalf of My Son," produced by Filmes de Plástico in partnership with Netflix, follows a woman seeking out families whose relatives died in an accident caused by her son.
- Two feature debuts round out the additions: Ah Biao's "Border" about a broke young miner drawn toward crime, and Tony Vahl's "Krux" starring Jella Haase, set in a German village at WWII's end.
Why it matters: Four of the six new entries (Eisenberg, Kernell, Martins, Vahl) arrive fresh from Toronto, signaling San Sebastián increasingly functions as a European showcase for films already building North American momentum. Studios including A24, Studiocanal and Netflix have placed significant resources across the competition ahead of the Sept. 18-26 festival.
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