San Sebastián boss Rebordinos bows out after 17 years as Beloki prepares historic takeover
José Luis Rebordinos is bowing out from the San Sebastián International Film Festival after 17 years in charge, with the 74th edition as his last at the helm, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Spanish festival, one of Europe's oldest film showcases, is under way in September 2026. Rebordinos has led its programme, prizes and industry events since the late 2000s. His departure closes a long run.
His successor is already named. Maialen Beloki, deputy director for 11 years, will take over as head from 2027, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She will start in January 2027, according to Deadline. It is a first. She will be the first woman to lead the festival in its 74-year history.
The competition for this year's Golden Shell, the festival's top prize, includes Fatih Akin's Ghost Song, Mike Leigh's Tender Loving Care and Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut, starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti. Brad Pitt's Heart of the Beast is also set to premiere at the festival, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Shortlist first, stars second. That is the usual San Sebastián mix.
Away from the red carpet, the festival runs a busy marketplace for future films. Its Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum, launched in 2012, connects producers seeking partners and funding across the two regions. Its Creative Investors' Conference, running since 2022, is due to welcome producers Christine Vachon and Adele Romanski and filmmaker Pablo Larraín this year.
The edition has also had off-screen moments. A Palestinian flag was waved on the red carpet at the premiere of the film Bucking Fastard in San Sebastián on September 18, 2026, according to Reuters Connect.
Rebordinos said he wants to write, find more time to read, and keep working with Latin American and Spanish cinema at smaller festivals after stepping down. What makes this stand out is continuity. Beloki knows the building from the inside, and the festival keeps its industry meetings, its prizes and its late-September slot while changing the person at the top.
