Page 94 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)

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ART AND CULTURE FORGET CANNES?

THE BUILD-UP There’s no denying that
Cannes is the world’s most important film
festival. Founded in 1946 as a small event on
France’s beautiful Côte d’Azur, it has grown
San Sebastián
to become a glamorous 10-day celebration
industry in attendance, and a solid program
of world premieres in the official selection.

vs Cannes Film Festival of film, with everybody who’s anybody in the
THE LETDOWN All-singing, all-dancing
Cannes sometimes gets all too much to bear.
Brash and cynical, the marketing and fashionista
side of the festival can torpedo its claims to
Cannes is a duty for cineastes but, at San Sebastián, Spain’s premier film festival offers art. And the pressure of numbers is such that
getting into screenings – or even just securing
the movies, the stars, and the high life – without the hype a table in a restaurant – is a major feat.

GOING ANYWAY? If you’re still set on Cannes,
and John Malkovich – and San Sebastián manages plan your visit like a military campaign. Hotel
NEED TO KNOW
a similar roster most years, regularly outpunching rooms need to be booked at least six months
LOCATION San Sebastián "UMBOUJD 0 DFBO other European festivals such as Rotterdam or in advance and, if you’re planning to see any
is in the Basque region, on competition films, you’ll need to apply for
Spain’s northern coast, #JMCBP Locarno. Even better, because things are on a more
280 miles (450 km) 4"/ human scale here, and everyone tends to stay in accreditation – the general public are not
4&#"45*¦/
northeast of the #BSDFMPOB admitted to most of the festival’s screenings.
Spanish capital, Madrid the same hotels, you’re much more likely to find
10356("- .BESJE
WHEN The festival runs yourself elbow to elbow with Penélope Cruz at the
for ten days from mid- 41"*/ bar than you ever would in Cannes.
to late September
The festival’s relaxed schedule also allows time
VISITORS PER YEAR 4FWJMMF .FEJUFSSBOFBO
4FB
Over 175,000 to explore San Sebastián (Donostia in the local
Euskara language) itself. It’s an elegant, hedonistic,
and good-looking seaside resort with a vibrant
“Oh, I don’t come here to see films.” Overheard eating and drinking scene, mostly concentrated
in a bar on Cannes’ Boulevard de la Croisette, this in the old town. The walk from the Kursaal Center
throwaway line sums up the frustrations of the (the futuristic skewed cube that is the festival hub)
world’s number one festival for the true cineaste. to the belle époque Cinema Principal, where many
Cannes is full of people who are here to buy, to sell, press screenings take place, should take 5 minutes ABOVE Crowds swarming to catch a glimpse of arrivals on
to schmooze, to party; sometimes one gets the but the gauntlet of tempting pintxos (the Basque the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival
distinct impression that the films screening in and version of tapas) bars on the way can turn it into
out of competition are just a sideshow. an hour-long gourmet ramble.
San Sebastián, on the other hand, is very much
a movie buff’s festival. It may not have the number
of weighty world premieres offered by its French PRACTICAL INFORMATION
cousin, but it has a good eye for new directors –
Getting There and Around old town, the most affordable of
many of them Spanish or Latin American – and has
San Sebastián’s small airport, celebrity chef Martín Berasategui’s
developed strong links with Scandinavian and 10 miles (16 km) east of town, group of superb restaurants.
Asian filmmakers over the past few years. It also has is served by internal flights from
Where to Stay
great retrospectives, with recent subjects ranging Madrid and Barcelona. The The Hotel Londres (www.
from Japanese noir to director Terence Davies, to closest international and low- hlondres.com) is a beautiful belle
cost hub is Bilbao, 65 miles
films dealing with migration. époque building facing the main
(105 km) west. Central San La Concha beach. Rooms are
Crucially, there’s time to see such classics, as Sebastián is easily explored on
this is a much more laid-back festival than manic, foot, but there is also an efficient spacious, classic, and comfortable.
Daytime Temperature
sleep-deprived Cannes. It’s also more democratic: local bus network.
66°F (19°C) in September, when
in San Sebastián, with a little forward planning, you Where to Eat the festival takes place.
can buy tickets for any movie on the schedule, San Sebastián is one of Spain’s Budget per Day for Two
whereas in Cannes, only films in the parallel top gastronomic centers. Even Allow US$300 for
bar snacks, or pintxos, tend to be
Quinzaine section and Cinéma de la Plage beach accommodations, meals, and
bite-sized gourmet treats. The
screenings are accessible to the general public. town has its fair share of award- tickets for screenings.
The Spanish festival, which runs for nine days at winning restaurants but, to Websites
the end of September, is not without its glamorous sample creative Basque cuisine Film festival:
side, either. Talent attending the 2008 event without breaking the bank, head www.sansebastianfestival.com
for Bodegón Alejandro (www. Tourist information:
included Meryl Streep, Antonio Banderas, Woody
bodegonalejandro.com) in the www.sansebastianturismo.com
Allen, Javier Bardem, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr.,

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