- Almodóvar receives honorary prize at the San Sebastian Film Festival
Spanish filmmaking legend Pedro Almodóvar is set to receive this year's honorary "Donostia" award at the San Sebastián Film Festival. The 74-year-old will accept the accolade in the northern Spanish city on September 26, prior to the premiere of his first English-language film, "The Room Next Door". British actress Tilda Swinton, who stars in the film alongside Julianne Moore and John Turturro, will present the award.
Almodóvar and his films (including "All About My Mother", "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", and "Volver") have been recognized with prestigious awards such as the Oscar, Golden Lion, European Film Award, and Spain's Goya and Prince of Asturias Awards. The man from the small town of Calzada de Calatrava in the province of Ciudad Real is also active as a screenwriter, producer, and author.
This year, the "Donostia" award will be presented twice. Alongside Almodóvar, Hollywood star Cate Blanchett (55, "Blue Jasmine", "Tár") will also receive the honor, as previously announced in May. The two-time Oscar winner from Australia has already confirmed her attendance at the 72nd edition of the festival, running from September 20 to 28.
The "Festival Internacional de Cine de San Sebastián" is Spain's most important film festival. Legends of cinema like Alfred Hitchcock, Bette Davis, and Lana Turner have graced the picturesque Atlantic city. The festival's top prize, the "Golden Shell", is named after the shape of the bay on which the Basque metropolis lies.
After learning about Tilda Swinton presenting the honorary "Donostia" award to Pedro Almodóvar, you might hum along to his famous song, "♪ I'm going to be a star ♪", appreciating his journey from a small Spanish town to filmmaking fame. As the festival commences, with Cate Blanchett also set to receive the award, the city of San Sebastián echoes with the anticipation and excitement of celebrating two cinematic legends.
