José Luis Rebordinos to step down as San Sebastián Film Festival director

José Luis Rebordinos is concluding his 15-year tenure as the director of the San Sebastián International Film Festival (Zinemaldia). He will be succeeded by Maialen Beloki following the 74th edition of the event.

Reflecting on his leadership since 2011, Rebordinos highlighted the festival's evolution from a purely artistic event into a significant industry hub. Key achievements include the creation of the Europe-Latin America Co-production Forum and the Creative Investors Meeting, which facilitated international film sales and distribution deals. He also noted the digitalization of over 70,000 archive documents.

The upcoming edition features high-profile visitors, including Brad Pitt and Naomi Watts. Rebordinos noted that securing Pitt's attendance was facilitated by Paramount Spain. The festival continues its tradition of honoring diverse cinematic figures through the Donostia Award, recently including legends like Werner Herzog and Agnes Varda.