{"id":58087,"date":"2025-10-13T14:13:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T12:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/?p=58087"},"modified":"2025-10-16T13:17:34","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T11:17:34","slug":"san-sebastians-international-film-festival-2025-and-asian-cinema","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/san-sebastians-international-film-festival-2025-and-asian-cinema\/","title":{"rendered":"San Sebastian\u2019s International Film Festival 2025 and Asian cinema"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mgp3f1d7-d33ec1d8f5ae8341cbedd93db080bd0c\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-mgp3f1d7-d33ec1d8f5ae8341cbedd93db080bd0c{\npadding-bottom:10px;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-mgp3f1d7-d33ec1d8f5ae8341cbedd93db080bd0c .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-mgp3f1d7-d33ec1d8f5ae8341cbedd93db080bd0c .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-mgp3f1d7-d33ec1d8f5ae8341cbedd93db080bd0c av-special-heading-h2 blockquote modern-quote modern-centered  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_image  avia-builder-el-first '><h2 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >San Sebastian\u2019s International Film Festival 2025 and Asian cinema<\/h2><div class='av-subheading av-subheading_below'><p>Menene Gras Balaguer<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mgp3faim-39bae8631b41d6b20a1fec649745c1fb\">\n.avia-image-container.av-mgp3faim-39bae8631b41d6b20a1fec649745c1fb img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-mgp3faim-39bae8631b41d6b20a1fec649745c1fb .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-mgp3faim-39bae8631b41d6b20a1fec649745c1fb av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_textblock '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-58074 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-58074 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ssiff49624_SAI___SAI__disaster_-1500x630.jpg\" alt='' title='ssiff49624_SAI___SAI__disaster_'  height=\"630\" width=\"1500\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mgtbre18-c0f85ff6015e378039283ef048d60052 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>SAI<\/strong>\u00a0\/ SAI: disaster<\/em> (2025) by Yutaro Seki and Kentaro Hirase.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mgp3fiv7-3704e736cda525ad4d4cb79c5d09c89e\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-mgp3fiv7-3704e736cda525ad4d4cb79c5d09c89e .avia_textblock{\nfont-size:13px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mgp3fiv7-3704e736cda525ad4d4cb79c5d09c89e '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>The San Sebastian International Film Festival (SSIFF) 2025 has firmly established itself not only as a Spanish film festival but also as a crucial bridge for European cinema in general and, to some extent, for Asian cinema, although the latter varies depending on annual production and the corresponding selection of titles. According to Festival Director Jos\u00e9 Luis Rebordinos, the selection of titles must emphasise the most recent international productions, with a clear preference for French cinema and global cinema generally, in addition to Asian cinema from the continent&#8217;s major film industries. The programme map demonstrates the significant and growing impact of Asian cinema on audiences, whose presence continues to grow exponentially each year. Furthermore, an uneven balance in selection is often overcome by the sheer excellence of certain productions. Asian cinema was prominent in the Official Section as well as in other areas of the festival, showing a clear preference for Chinese and Japanese cinema, as is usual. While this fact may be particularly evident this year, it is important to remember that there is no specific limit on the number of productions screened, given that the festival is open to the cultures of the world and all geographical areas. Consequently, the SSIFF strengthens connections and aims to be a first-rate event that is hard to rival in our country. The SSIFF has positioned itself alongside major European festivals, such as Cannes, Rotterdam, Berlin, Locarno, and Venice, and is a benchmark both domestically and internationally, annually reflecting the state of global cinema.<\/p>\n<p>The history and continuity of these festivals are a guarantee for an industry that has been altered by the creation of platforms and other means of communication. For context, the San Sebastian International Film Festival was founded in 1953 as the International Film Week, and this year marks its 73rd edition. The Venice Film Festival was founded in 1932, initially as a <em>Mostra <\/em>to raise awareness and promote Italian cinema. The Locarno International Film Festival, also founded in 1946, remains one of the oldest. The Berlinale was founded in 1951 in West Berlin to overcome the devastation of the Second World War, and its programme, like that of the Rotterdam Film Festival (founded in 1972), shares an interest in promoting independent cinema and inclusiveness, covering geographical areas often overlooked by other international festivals. The San Sebasti\u00e1n International Film Festival is one of the key European festivals to watch, both for its programme and for everything it inspires and generates. Notably, of those mentioned here, it is the last of the year, conferring the advantage of bringing together the most recent productions seen at leading festivals, or those yet to be seen anywhere. The festival has become a national and international benchmark in the industry, communication, and press sectors, successfully connecting producers, distributors, directors, and actors and actresses with all audiences during the nine days, from the start to the closing ceremony and awards ceremony.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mgp3fshe-6a16bb7e9e527f48bb67517c5e36f1b6\">\n.avia-image-container.av-mgp3fshe-6a16bb7e9e527f48bb67517c5e36f1b6 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-mgp3fshe-6a16bb7e9e527f48bb67517c5e36f1b6 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-mgp3fshe-6a16bb7e9e527f48bb67517c5e36f1b6 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_textblock  el_before_av_textblock '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-58077 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-58077 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ssiff49702_Nan_Fang_Shi_Guang___Before_the_Bright_Day_-1500x630.jpg\" alt='' title='ssiff49702_Nan_Fang_Shi_Guang___Before_the_Bright_Day_'  height=\"630\" width=\"1500\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mgtbrp9v-9f8649af12d5c8a45a26a614cb176873 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Nan Fang Shi Guang<\/strong>\u00a0\/ Before the Bright Day<\/em> (2025) by Tsao Shih-Han.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mgp3g2bq-a6691a0d08fd4b2b232515c979ed991f\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-mgp3g2bq-a6691a0d08fd4b2b232515c979ed991f .avia_textblock{\nfont-size:13px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mgp3g2bq-a6691a0d08fd4b2b232515c979ed991f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>The last edition celebrated the success of the best recent Spanish cinema. The Malaga Film Festival also recognised this cinema by drawing public attention to other titles that have quickly made their way into the Spanish and international markets. Regarding the interesting developments associated with the programming of Asian productions, the festival, as usual, included a selection of titles from recent Japanese cinema. The same criteria were applied to Chinese cinema, whose current growth is an indisputable fact, rivalling other film industries that previously seemed dominant. The programming of the respective titles from the Asian continent was evident in practically all sections. The Official Selection included <strong>Her Heart Beats in Its Cage<\/strong> (China, 2025) by Qin Xiaoyu, the psychological drama<strong> Sai\/Sai Disaster <\/strong>(Japan, 2025) by Yutako Seki and Kentaro Hirase, and<strong> Climbing for Life <\/strong>(Japan, 2025) by Junji Sakamoto. In the New Directors Section, films included <strong>Nighttime Sounds <\/strong>(China, 2025) by Zhang Zhong Zhongchen, <strong>Shape of Momo<\/strong> (India and South Korea, 2025) by Tribeny Rai, <strong>White Flowers and Fruits<\/strong> (Japan, 2025) by Yukari Sakamoto, and Before the Bright Day (Taiwan, 2025) by Tsao Shih Han. Zabaltegi-Tabakalera featured <strong>Brand New Landscape<\/strong> (Japan, 2025) by Yuiga Danzuka, and <strong>Two Seasons, Two Strangers<\/strong> (Japan, 2025) by Sho Miyaki. In Perlak, there was <strong>It Was Just An Accident<\/strong> (Iran, France and Luxembourg, 2025), Jafar Panahi&#8217;s Palme d&#8217;Or winner, along with other titles in the NEST section, Kulinary Zinema with<strong> Morte Cucina <\/strong>(Thailand, 2025) by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, and the Klasikoak section. Finally, it is worth mentioning the co-production La <strong>Tregua <\/strong>(Spain-Kazakhstan, 2025), presented at RTVE\u2019s <em>Galas<\/em>, a drama based on real events dating back to the concentration camps, which became production factories where the Russians interned both opponents of the regime and dissidents, as well as Spaniards who arrived in Russia after the end of the civil war.<\/p>\n<p>Among the highlights of the festival, the signing of a collaboration agreement between the San Sebastian International Film Festival and the Shanghai Film Festival, considered one of the largest in the world, is particularly noteworthy. The event took place on Saturday, 20 September, at the Kursaal Press Club, during Chinese Film Night, presented by Tony King, Deputy Director General of the Shanghai International Film &amp; TV Events Centre. The agreement contains several lines of collaboration based on the exchange of productions and more fluid communication between both festivals and the industry. Crucially, this may facilitate both the programming of Spanish films in China and the presence of Chinese films at the SSIFF in the future, thus aiding the circulation of these films in the Spanish market and, conversely, Spanish films in China. Both parties expressed their mutual interest in renewing the agreement in future editions and promoting awareness of the signed pact.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mgp3gc98-363a1945101bffdc8ede7bcbf21f775c\">\n.avia-image-container.av-mgp3gc98-363a1945101bffdc8ede7bcbf21f775c img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-mgp3gc98-363a1945101bffdc8ede7bcbf21f775c .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-mgp3gc98-363a1945101bffdc8ede7bcbf21f775c av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_textblock  el_before_av_textblock '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-58413 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-58413 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ssiff49703_Shiro_no_kajitsu___White_Flowers_and_Fruits_-1500x630.jpg\" alt='' title='ssiff49703_Shiro_no_kajitsu___White_Flowers_and_Fruits_'  height=\"630\" width=\"1500\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mgtbs0i2-5acbc0043120cddec0b92dba5a13a6bc '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Shiro no kajitsu<\/strong>\u00a0\/ White Flowers and Fruits<\/em> (2025) by Yukari Sakamoto.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mgp3goag-b2d1f689f5b85f63bc4044c9628e84d5\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-mgp3goag-b2d1f689f5b85f63bc4044c9628e84d5 .avia_textblock{\nfont-size:13px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mgp3goag-b2d1f689f5b85f63bc4044c9628e84d5 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>In addition to this agreement, there was the International Meeting of Programmers and Professionals in the Sector, which is usually held during the festival, and the Co-production Pact between Spain and the Philippines, which forms part of the Strategic Plan presented in San Sebasti\u00e1n and envisages exponential growth in the film industry in the main regions of the continent. Moving beyond existing bilateral agreements and based on the idea that cinema is a universal language, official interest was announced in four Asian countries: <strong>China, South Korea, the Philippines <\/strong>and <strong>India<\/strong>. This coincides with the Spain-India Dual Year, which the ICAA (Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts) sees as an opportunity and a strategic framework for relations with this country in the audiovisual sector, as well as in the economy, industry, and tourism in general. Filipino cinema is still largely unknown in our country, which is why the Quezon Film Commission, through the Qcinema International Film Festival, officially announced in San Sebasti\u00e1n its intention to launch a co-production collaboration project with Spain and Latin America between 2026 and 2028.<\/p>\n<p>Despite all these developments, it is ultimately difficult to fully assess the Asian presence in this year&#8217;s SSIFF programme. Nevertheless, the festival continues to witness the unstoppable rise of screen tourism, as Sergio Basurko observes\u2014a trend visible at major festivals, though less so in everyday cinema-going once these events conclude. In essence, the percentage of Asian films in the overall programme usually varies from one edition to the next, reflecting the annual film production of the most represented countries and the evolving dynamics of a rapidly growing industry. It is not always possible to bring together all the titles considered essential in each edition, regardless of their country of origin, but the attempt is always there. On this occasion, Spanish cinema took centre stage in the programme with major productions such as <strong>Los domingos<\/strong> (2025), <strong>Los tigres<\/strong> (2025), <strong>Maspalomas <\/strong>(2025), and <strong>Historias del buen valle<\/strong> (2025), all in the Official Section, with very few rival productions. China, Japan, and Iran were adequately represented, a presence that will surely expand in 2026 following the agreements and meetings held at this year&#8217;s edition. Conversely, South Korea did not have the same visibility as in previous years. The only mention of this country was as a co-producer. Surprising as this may be, perhaps in the next edition, its presence will once again reveal the great cinema that continues to be made and the expansive growth of its audiovisual industry.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mgp3gwv1-7501d53f56d8342a6a451ca58f01ef00\">\n.avia-image-container.av-mgp3gwv1-7501d53f56d8342a6a451ca58f01ef00 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-mgp3gwv1-7501d53f56d8342a6a451ca58f01ef00 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-mgp3gwv1-7501d53f56d8342a6a451ca58f01ef00 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_textblock  el_before_av_textblock '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-58083 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-58083 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ssiff49795_Jianyu_Laide_Mama___Her_Heart_Beats_in_Its_Cage_-1500x630.jpg\" alt='' title='ssiff49795_Jianyu_Laide_Mama___Her_Heart_Beats_in_Its_Cage_'  height=\"630\" width=\"1500\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mgtbsb54-37090fec5ad026dbfb5bdf29e9ca12a0 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Jianyu Laide Mama<\/strong>\u00a0\/ Her Heart Beats in Its Cage<\/em> (2025) by Xiaoyu Qin.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":58074,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58087","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58087"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58087\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58630,"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58087\/revisions\/58630"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianfilmfestival.barcelona\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}