Page 95 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)

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ART AND CULTURE

MAIN IMAGE La Concha beach in San Sebastián BELOW (left to
right) Aerial view of the bay of San Sebastián; Teatro Victoria Eugenia,
one of the festival venues; Meryl Streep accepting the Donostia Award

4 MORE FILM FESTIVALS TO
RIVAL CANNES

BERLINALE Berlin is not the warmest place in February, but
this festival generates plenty of energy with an eclectic mix of
low-budget world cinema and quality commercial films.

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL Opening the fall awards season at
the beginning of September, Venice has given Cannes a run for
its money in recent years, with world premieres of Oscar
contenders such as Brokeback Mountain and The Queen.
FILM FESTIVAL LOCARNO This Swiss festival, held in August,
is perhaps the closest to San Sebastián in its mix of great setting,
small-but-interesting competition line-up, and enthusiastic local
participation. The open-air gala screenings are justly famous.
MOTOVUN FILM FESTIVAL Of Europe’s scattering of “village
film festivals,” this one, held each July in a pretty Croatian hill town,
is among the most enjoyable. Intelligent indie programming and
a loyal following of tent-dwelling young film fans has led to it
being called “a cross between Glastonbury and Sundance.”

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