Nordic cinema to shine at San Sebastián, Hlynur Pálmason in the double spotlight

The 73rd edition of the San Sebastián International Film Festival (19–27 September) will once again highlight the creative strength of the Nordic region, with a strong and diverse selection of titles across the programme’s main sections.

In Redoubt (Värn), screening in the New Directors strand, filmmaker John Skoog presents a Cold War tale set in the rural heartlands of Sweden. The story follows Karl-Göran Persson, a farm worker who obsessively transforms his home into a fortress of scrap metal, baffling his neighbours, but earning the curiosity of local children. Staged by Plattform Produktion with partners across Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and Poland, and with support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond (NFTVF), the film stars Denis Lavant and Agnieszka Podsiadlik alongside Swedish talents Livia Millhagen and Aron Skoog.

Meanwhile, Hlynur Pálmason brings two films to the Basque gathering this year. His latest feature, which is also supported by NFTVF, The Love That Remains (Ástin Sem Eftir Er), appears in the Perlak section after its Cannes premiere. With Sverrir Gudnason and Saga Garðarsdóttir in the lead, the film captures a family in transition, blending intimate portraits with surreal, poetic digressions.

In the daring festival section “Zabaltegi-Tabakalera”, Pálmason offers a smaller companion piece, Joan of Arc (Jóhanna af Örk), where three siblings play, invent and destroy their own knightly creation over the course of changing seasons. Both titles are produced by Still Vivid and Snowglobe, underlining the Icelandic helmer’s ongoing collaboration with Danish partners.

Norwegian auteur Joachim Trier’s latest effort Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi) is also showcased in the Perlka sidebar. Fresh from its Cannes launch and the Grand Prix win, the film is a co-production between Norway, France, Denmark, and Germany. Toplined by Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård, the pic continues Trier’s acclaimed exploration of memory, love, and the fragility of human bonds. This successful film was also financed by NFTVF.

Coming from Cannes is another entry with Nordic participation: the Colombian drama A Poet (Un poeta) by Simón Mesa Soto, co-produced with Sweden’s Momento Film and Film i Väst. The drama will screen in the Latin Horizons section.Also competing in New Directors is As We Breathe (Aldıgımız Nefes) by Turkish director Seyhmus Altun, co-produced with Denmark’s Punktur Pictures. Through the eyes of a young girl, the film promises to paint a tender yet devastating portrait of resilience in the face of ecological catastrophe.

From Denmark, Emilie Thalund’s debut Weightless (Vægtløs), also in New Directors, follows fifteen-year-old Lea during a transformative summer at a health camp. Produced by Snowglobe, the film is a delicate coming-of-age story of friendship, body image and first love.

Finally, Snowglobe is also involved in Lucrecia Martel’s Latin Horizons-bound doc Landmarks (Nuestra Tierra), set to premiere at Venice and Toronto. The feature, co-produced with Argentina, USA, Mexico, France, and the Netherlands, chronicles Argentina’s strategies to deny the Chuschagasta Community their territory.

Featuring works from both established auteurs and emerging voices, San Sebastián’s 2025 line-up highlights Nordic cinema within Europe’s autumn festival season, balancing artistic ambition with stories that have the potential to resonate beyond regional borders.