Glamour and gastronomy. Those are the first two words that come to mind when I think of the San Sebastian International Film Festival. In the Basque city renowned for its Michelin-starred dining and picture perfect beaches, San Sebastian (or Donostia, as it’s known by locals), comes even more alive during the second half of September every year.
Since 1952, Spain’s culinary capital has been hosting the biggest film festival in the country. Appealing to actors and industry folk, as well as cinephiles and foodies, San Sebastian is one of the most magical destinations for a film festival as it combines a high caliber of international films with world-class cuisine and culinary experiences – all in a highly walkable, culturally unique gem by the sea.
Behind the scenes, sustainability is also top of mind, with electric cars shuttling the stars around, a 2030 Agenda promo preceding every film, and the the fact that 100% of festival emissions are compensated, making it carbon neutral. During the 72nd festival, Cate Blanchett even spoke with Travara about the growing importance of, and demand for, sustainable production on all sets.
Here, we share an insider’s guide to help you plan your visit to the festival.
Booking your trip
San Sebastian is a (very) popular destination in the summer, so once September rolls around, the city starts to thin out, making it the most desirable shoulder season month to visit. Given the festival’s popularity however, it would be wise to book as far in advance as possible. Luckily, the city is compact and you can easily walk between venues, with several accommodation options, in all price ranges.
If you’re traveling from within Europe, you can train to Hendaye and then take the local Euskotren into San Sebastian. If you need to fly, there’s a small airport in Hondarribia (EAS), or Bilbao (BIO) has the closest international airport. From there, it’s an easy bus ride into the city.
When it comes to accommodations, the grand dame of city is Hotel Maria Cristina. This is the historic luxury hotel where the stars (and industry execs) stay, so unless you book a year out, you might not be able to snag a room. The swanky Lasala Plaza Hotel is an even better option nearby, as it’s located on the port, features jaw-dropping views of La Concha Bay from the rooftop bar, and it’s powered by 100% renewable energy, which we love. For a little separation from the festival vibes, Arima Hotel & Spa is a family-owned sustainable luxury boutique hotel nestled among the trees in the hills above the city. If you choose to stay at Arima, it’s a quick bus ride, or taxi, into the heart of town.
Buying tickets to the San Sebastian Film Festival
There are several different options when it comes to buying tickets. You can purchase a package or buy individual tickets to the films that catch your eye. Be forewarned that the online ticketing system tends to be a point of frustration the first day that sales open, as the website can get bogged down by the traffic, ultimately causing tickets to disappear from your cart and sell out by the time you get to the payment page. To avoid frustration try to organize yourself in advance, so you can try to pick your tickets with ninja-speed and check out as soon as possible.
Keep your eye on the ticketing page of the festival website and take note of the presale dates. There is a K1 package available, which includes tickets to all of the films in the Official Selection category, as well as the Galas (Opening, Donostia Awards, and Closing Ceremony).
Individual and discount ticket tips
For individual tickets, sale dates are staggered, depending on the date of the screening. Ideally, you should take some time to go through all of the films as soon as they are listed on the website in August. Then, take note of the dates and times when they will go on sale. If you happen to miss those specific windows, tickets are also sold in person at various locations throughout the city.
You can bundle and save 25% off if you buy more than 10 tickets at a time (check the fine print though). And if you have a little bit of flexibility in your schedule, there will be tickets offered at half price off every day if you simply subscribe to the mailing list, which you should probably do anyways in case of surprise announcements.
Culinary Zinema (aka, the festival highlight for foodies)
The Culinary Zinema section of the festival is where film and gastronomy come together for the most highly coveted dinners of the week. The Culinary Zinema experience warrants a whole article all to itself, but if you can score tickets, you won’t regret it. A handful of films with a culinary slant are organized jointly with the Basque Culinary Center (BCC).
The premieres of these films are attended by the main cast and crew and then paired with a relevant chef who will prepare an extravagant meal hosted at the BCC. Before or after the film (or sometimes both), the audience will enjoy hearing from the cast and crew before heading up to the BCC, located in the hills just above town.
The communal dinners start with a cocktail hour and then transition into a multi-course meal where food and drink pairings follow the theme of the movie. The dinners are prepared by local chefs, Michelin-starred chefs, or notable chefs from the country where the film is based, in partnership with BCC students. Tickets sell out in minutes, so if you can get some, it’s the hottest reservation in town.
Top film venues
As mentioned, San Sebastian is very walkable and the majority of venues are within a few blocks of each other, so hopping between films is quite easy. The Kursaal, the modern glass structure on Zurriola Beach is the heart of the festival and home to the red carpet where the opening and closing ceremonies take place.
Right across the Urumea River from the Kursaal is Hotel Maria Cristina, where the stars will often walk the red carpet from the hotel right next door to the Victoria Eugenia theater, another main venue for the most popular films.
A couple blocks towards the water, in the Parte Vieja (or Old Town), the Principe theater is another main hub, located on a plaza with a bar next door. Those three venues form a triangle that you’ll find yourself walking over and over.
Where to eat and drink in San Sebastian during the film festival
With all that hopping between films and venues, you’ll need to fuel up and sit down every so often, so when you’re in the mood for a coffee or a sweet treat, head to Lurka, the city’s popular bean-to-bar chocolate café. It’s located on the backside of Hotel Maria Cristina, in between the hotel and Victoria Eugenia.
If you’re heading to the Principe theater, Baluarte is the bar next door with a terrace on the plaza. Perfect for a glass of wine or beer, it’s great for people watching or just relaxing in between films.
The Kursaal is located in the Gros neighborhood and while the restaurants immediately in front of the venue tend to be packed for the whole week, we recommend heading inland just a little bit more if you want to grab a drink at Bar Desy, or have a nice sit down dinner at the Mexican-Basque fusion spot Erre or Gerald’s Bar, where the chef does wonders with local produce.
For a Michelin experience, Zelai Txiki is the only Green Michelin-starred restaurant in town and having a meal there is like coming home to family. Chef Juan Carlos Caro and his wife Eva will welcome you with a smile and send you home with a hug (after giving you a memorable meal, of course).
To immerse yourself even further in Basque culinary experiences and extend your stay in San Sebastian after the film festival, check out our exclusive Curated Journeys.
MICHELLE ARELLANO MARTIN
