San Sebastian Festival: Johnny Depp’s ‘Modi - Three Days on the Wing of Madness’ to Screen Out of Competition
The 72nd edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain is set to feature a diverse and compelling lineup, with a strong focus on both established filmmakers and emerging talent. Notably, Johnny Depp returns to the director’s chair with his second feature film, "Modi - Three Days on the Wing of Madness." The film, which will participate out of competition in the Official Selection, marks Depp’s directorial return since "The Brave" (1997). Depp was previously honored with the Donostia Award for lifetime achievement at the festival in 2021.
"Modi - Three Days on the Wing of Madness" portrays a frenetic 72-hour period in the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, also known as Modi. Set against the backdrop of World War I in Paris, the film stars Riccardo Scamarcio, Stephen Graham, Al Pacino, and Antonia Desplat, delving into a world of art, love, and turmoil.
Thierry Frémaux, the General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival and Director of the Lumière Institute, will also return to San Sebastian with his documentary "Lumière!, l'aventure continue." This sequel to "Lumière! L'aventure commence" (2016) continues exploring the pioneering contributions of the Lumière brothers to the birth of cinema. This film will be featured in the Special Screenings section, following Frémaux's previous participation in the festival’s Klasikoak section in 2017.
The New Directors section this year will include twelve films, with Piet Baumgartner’s "Bagger Drama" and Sylvia Le Fanu’s "Min Evige Sommer" completing the lineup. Baumgartner, a Swiss filmmaker known for his documentaries, presents a family drama that unfolds after the tragic death of a daughter. The film navigates the challenges of grief and family dynamics within a business-oriented household.
Le Fanu, a Danish-British director, makes her feature debut with "Min Evige Sommer." This poignant story follows 15-year-old Fanny, who spends a final summer with her terminally ill mother in their family’s summerhouse. The film explores themes of love, loss, and the passage of time, capturing the delicate moments shared between mother and daughter.
In addition to these newcomers, the New Directors section will open with Antón Álvarez’s "La guitarra flamenca de Yerai Cortés" and close with Koya Kamura’s "Hiver à Sokcho." The competition features thirteen directors from various countries, including Argentina, China, France, Georgia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the UK, and the USA, all vying for the Kutxabank-New Directors Award, which carries a prize of 50,000 euros.