2022 San Sebastian Film Festival: Laura Mora’s “Kings of the World” Claims the Golden Shell

A film that we thought had a chance to preem in Cannes, Venice and even TIFF was now crowned Best Film at the San Sebastian Film Festival. Laura Mora’s Kings of the World beat out a fierce comp with several veteran filmmakers for the Golden Shell. Kings of the World also won a pair of other awards (SIGNIS Award and Feroz Zinemaldia Award) while the runner-ish award of a Special Jury Prize went to Marian Mathias and Runner – the debut feature was just featured at TIFF (read review), and speaking of Toronto, discovery Paul Kircher won Best Lead Performance for Christophe Honoré’s Winter Boy (read review) — he tied with newbie teen actress Carla Quílez for La Maternal by Pilar Palomero. We had the chance to speak to Mora when she was at TIFF for Killing Jesus (you can find the interview below). Here is the complete list of winners:

OFFICIAL SELECTION PRIZES
Golden Shell for Best Film: “Kings of the World,” Laura Mora
Special Jury Prize: “Runner,” Marian Mathias
Silver Shell for Best Director: “A Hundred Flowers,” Genki Kawamura
Silver Shell for Best Leading Performance (tied): “La Maternal,” Carla Quílez; “Winter Boy,” Paul Kircher
Silver Shell for Best Supporting Performance: “The Substitute,” Renata Lerman
Best Screenplay: “A Woman,” Wang Chao
Best Cinematography: “Pornomelancolía,” Manuel Abramovich

OTHER OFFICIAL AWARDS
New Directors Award: “Spare Keys,” Jeanne Aslan and Paul Saintillan
New Directors Award (Special Mention): “On Either Side of the Pond,” Parth Saurabh
Horizontes Latinos Award: “I Have Electric Dreams,” Valentina Maurel
Zabaltegi-Tabakalera Award: “Godland,” Hlynur Pálmason
Audience Award for Best Film: “Argentina, 1985,” Santiago Mitre
Audience Award for Best European Film: “The Beasts,” Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Spanish Cooperation Award: “Noise,” Karla Moreno, María José Córdova
RTVE Another Look Award: “El Sostre Groc,” Isabel Coixet
RTVE Another Look Award (Special Mention): “Corsage,” Marie Kreutzer
Irizar Basque Film Award: “Suro,” Mikel Gurrea
Irizar Basque Film Award (Special Mention): “To Books and Women I Sing,” Maria Elorza
TCM Youth Award: “To Books and Women I Sing,” Maria Elorza

OTHER AWARDS
Euskadi Basque Country 2030 Agenda Award: “Tori and Lokita,” Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Dunio Asaya Award: “Tobacco Barns,” Rocio Mesa
Dunio Asaya Award (Special Mention): “El Sostre Groc,” Isabel Coixet
FIPRESCI Award: “Suro,” Mikel Gurrea
Feroz Zinemaldia Award: “The Kings of the World,” Laura Mora
Euskal Gidoigileen Elkartea Award: “Suro,” Mikel Gurrea and Francisco Kosterlitz
Sebastiane Award: “Something You Said Last Night,” Luis de Filippis
Lurra Greenpeace Award: “Alcarras,” Carla Simon
SIGNIS Award: “The Kings of the World,” Laura Mora
SIGNIS Award (Special Mention): “Runner,” Marian Mathias