Mike Leigh's Tender Loving Care takes Golden Shell at San Sebastián
Mike Leigh's Tender Loving Care has won the Golden Shell for Best Film at the San Sebastián Film Festival, the festival's top prize, Variety reported on 26 September 2026.
The jury was headed by US film-maker Ira Sachs. The jury agreed. Leigh's drama took four prizes on the night.
Leigh also won the Jury Prize for Best Screenplay for the film. Kate O'Flynn won the Silver Shell for Best Leading Performance, the festival's acting honour, for her work in it. Tender Loving Care also collected the Transforma Award.
The film had been selected to compete for the Golden Shell, the San Sebastián Festival announced in August. It is based on four short stories by Argentine writer Mariana Enríquez, Deadline reported in July. It tells the story of Ema, a woman who can see and hear the dead.
Marion Bailey stars in the film, according to the San Sebastián Festival. O'Flynn's win puts her at the centre of the film's awards run. Leigh wrote as well as directed.
The audience chose differently. La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, won the Audience Award for Best Film. NAZA, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, won the Audience Award for Best European Film.
La Bola Negra arrived with momentum. It had already won the People's Choice Award, the main audience prize, at the Toronto International Film Festival, Variety reported on 20 September.
What makes this stand out is the split. One film convinced the jury across directing, writing and acting categories. Two others won the public vote.
