Discovered at the Panorama in 2011 with his debut film, Belgian director Michaël R. Roskam was invited to Toronto in 2014 and then to Venice OoC in 2017. His fourth feature film, *Le Faux Soir*, premiered at #Toronto2026 before closing #SanSebastian2026 yesterday for Goodfellas.

A multiple award-winner at Busan in 2019, followed by the Best Debut Film award at Rotterdam and the Audience Award here the following year, South Korean Yoon Dan-bi presented *The World Before* at #Toronto2026, and the film is being screened again this week at #SanSebastian2026 ND for m-appeal.

Ah Biao, a young Chinese filmmaker based in Bangkok, is presenting his short debut *Border* directly in competition at #SanSebastian2026 for Reel Suspect. The attempts at artsy framing and cheap editing quickly come across as contrived;

Following a few short films and a co-created series, the Spanish director Javier Giner is launching his debut feature, *This Solitude*, at #SanSebastian2026 ND for Filmax. A lengthy and rambling double introspection – admitted as such halfway through the film –

Following a fourth short film at Clermont-Ferrand and a final award-winning short at Varna, Bulgarian director Hristo Simeonov is launching his debut feature *My Father’s Shoes* at #SanSebastian2026 ND, after pitching the project in Jerusalem in 2018, then in Sofia and Thessaloniki in 2021,

Following a short film at Locarno in 2010 and a pitch in Turin in 2021, German director Tony Cahl presented her debut film *Krux* at #Toronto2026, then in competition at #SanSebastian2026 for Global Constellation.

Following two films premiered in Málaga which subsequently saw little distribution, the Spanish director Roberto Bueso is presenting his third film, *The Bad Father*, in competition at #SanSebastian2026 for Film Factory.

Winner of the First Prize at Cinef 2023, Marlene Emilie Lyngstad – a Norwegian filmmaker based in Copenhagen – explores deeply unsettling themes, as in *Cute*, which premiered this week at #SanSebastian2026 ND for TrustNordisk.

First discovered with her debut film in Goteborg over 30 years ago, Turkish director Yeşim Ustaoğlu – who previously won the Golden Shell in 2008 – returns to #SanSebastian2026 competition with *What Remains* for Match Factory. A complete and surprising failure: the first hour is a succession of

With a short film premiered at Venice Orizzonti and subsequently awarded a prize here in San Sebastián, Chilean cinematographer Thomas Woodroffe presents his debut, *Erractics*, at #SanSebastian2026 ND for MPM after the Eurimages New Lab award in Cinemart 2025.

Ayana Nurdinova, the Kazakh production designer on the Kazakh film screened last year at Locarno’s FotP, presents her debut feature *Mugalim* at #SanSebastian2026 ND. Somewhat less clumsy than many local Kazakh films, this new work is made with a seriousness that justifies its invitation here.

Spotted in Brive and then in Kyiv with her short films, Ukrainian Tatjana Moutchnik presents her debut February Seven Days at #SanSebastian2026 ND for Reason8 after winning two awards here at WIP Europa last autumn.

Discovered in the 2014 Berlin competition with his debut, Argentine Benjamin Naishat won three awards for his third film at San Sebastián in 2018. Following Toronto SP last week, he is today presenting *Glaxo* in competition at #SanSebastian2026 for Luxbox.

A director of mainstream – or even regressive – Spanish films, the Spaniard Javier Ruiz Caldera, following a few successes in television, is presenting *Five More Minutes* in competition at #SanSebastian2026 for Filmax. The B-movie-style fantasy premise seems to have come

Following a low-key debut in Austin in 2021 and winning the Jury Prize at Kinotayo the following year, Japanese director Kazuya Murayama – who works mainly in advertising at a local level – is presenting his second film, *The Ballet Lesson*, at #SanSebastian2026 New Directors.

Winner of the Best Director award in Taipei for his short film in 2017, Taiwanese director Lu Po-Shun is presenting his debut feature *Will You Still Be My Friend* at #SanSebastian2026, in the ND section for Moveria, following a pitch in Hong Kong and a work-in-progress screening in Udine.

A dancer who was spotted by Sundance, the German Naëmi Ada presents her DFFB graduation film, *Body of Glass*, at #SanSebastian2026 ND for Alpha Violet.