This event, perhaps, attracts the most visitors to the city. Film directors, actors, journalists and film fans from all over the world fill the streets of San Sebastian in the last week of September. Festival's jury usually consists of world cinema stars that can be easily met on the terrace of a cafe or in the Old Town. Alfred Hitchcock, Elizabeth Taylor, Meryl Streep, Robert Deniro, Monica Bellucci, Arnold Schwarzenegger and others visited San Sebastian Festival during its sixty plus years.
On average, more than 150 films are selected for the festival and are screened in cinemas throughout the city. Each film is screened several times, so that everyone can watch it. One of the screenings always happens in the presence of a director and/or actors, who can answer questions about the film.
Main awards of the film festival are the "Golden Shell" and "Silver Shell". Often these awards become a breakthrough for new filmmakers, as it did for Francis Ford Coppola and Terrence Malik.
Films at the festival are presented in the original language with Spanish and/or English subtitles. The average ticket price is less than 10 euros.  Tickets can be purchased at box office, in the self-service machine next to the cinema or online: www.sansebastianfestival.com. In addition, you can visit opening or closing ceremonies and walk the red carpet among the stars. The cost of attending these gala events will cost you depending on the zone you choose (from 70 to 400 euros).