Mike Leigh’s Tender Loving Care Wins Golden Shell at San Sebastian Film Festival

Mike Leigh’s Competition Sweep and Final Film Plans

According to festival coverage, Tender Loving Care dominated the main competition. The intimate character drama about social and familial care earned Leigh a second win for best screenplay. Paul Jesson and Alice Bailey Johnson accepted the writing prize on Leigh’s behalf, with Jesson addressing misunderstandings regarding the director’s working method by praising the “precision, rigor and purpose” of Leigh’s shooting process. Earlier in the week at a press conference, Leigh stated that Tender Loving Care would likely be his final film, citing a “practical matter to do with my medical condition — a physical condition.” Neither Leigh nor O’Flynn attended the ceremony in person, but both provided video acceptance speeches. O’Flynn dedicated her award to co-stars Marion Bailey, Paul Jesson, and Alice Bailey Johnson.

Acting Honors and International Winners

Kate O’Flynn shared the Silver Shell for best lead performance with Asta Kamma August for her work in Hans Petter Moland’s rural epic Growth of the Soil, which was recently selected as Norway’s submission for the Best International Feature Oscar. The film also captured best cinematography for director of photography Oskar Dahlsbakken, who lensed the Nordic mountainscapes. Sweden’s Amanda Kernell secured the Silver Shell for best director for Brace Your Heart, a portrait of a young female reindeer herder in the indigenous Sámi community. Kernell dedicated the award to members of the Sámi culture, highlighting “the importance that films can give voice to those without a voice and be this machine of empathy.” Hong Kong filmmaker Ah Biao took home the Special Jury Prize for the debut feature Border, while Spain’s Javier Cámara won the Silver Shell for best supporting performance in Javier Ruiz Caldera’s 5 More Minutes.

Audience Acclaim and Festival Highlights

Audience Awards in the Pearls section recognized Spanish sensation La Bola Negra, co-directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, alongside NAZA by Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, which won for best European film. Calvo noted at the screening that La Bola Negra, which opened in Spanish theaters yesterday, was made for the audience and generating heavy Oscars buzz. The festival jury was presided over by director Ira Sachs, whose new film The Man I Loved screened in the Pearls section. The jury also included actor-producer Alice Braga, writer-director-producer Genki Kawamura, actress Patricia Lopez Arnaiz, actor-producer Bill Skarsgard, producer Mike Goodridge, and scripter Catherine Paille.

Lifetime Honors and Star-Studded Arrivals

The coastal city hosted prominent international figures across the event. Naomi Watts received a lifetime achievement Donostia Award from Spaniard J.A. Bayona, dedicating her honor to the late David Lynch, who passed away in January 2025. Filmmaker Werner Herzog accepted the other Donostia Award during the opening night ceremony from Orlando Bloom. Actor Brad Pitt walked the red carpet for his film Heart of the Beast, drawing large crowds outside the Kursaal Theater. Danny Boyle also appeared during the final weekend with his Venice opener Ink, which served as the festival’s surprise film on September 24. This year marks the final edition for festival director Jose Luis Rebordinos, who will be succeeded next year at the 75th annual event by Maialen Beloki, the festival’s first-ever female director.

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