San Sebastian Film Festival reports 83.52% occupancy level, up 7.17%
The number of spectators per session increased 8.84%

Revenue from ticket sales was up from 2007 despite 38 fewer screenings

The occupancy level at the San Sebastian Film Festival increased 7.17% at the 56th edition, which came to a close on September 27th. Compared to 76.35% in 2007, this year’s figure accounted for a 83.52% occupation rate between the various venues, including public screenings as well as screenings for the press and accredited guests. A total of 177,654 spectators took part in the various Festival activities.
Ticket sales were up this year despite 38 fewer sessions than in 2007. The number of spectators in 2008 was 177,654, compared to 176,525 last year, and the number of spectators per session rose from 269.5 in 2007 to 287.9 in 2008.
99,236 tickets were sold this year, compared to the 98,702 tickets sold last year. Ticket sales were up 11.91%, taking into account 513 ticketed sessions this year, compared to 571 in 2007. Tickets were sold out for 200 of the sessions,
A total of 617 sessions were offered this year, 38 fewer than in 2007. The retrospective cycle on contemporary film director Terence Davies included only six films, and the Zabaltegi and Horizontes Latinos sections both included fewer films than last year.

Professional activities
Professional activities in the Festival also maintained a high rate of participation. 1,171 industry professionals from 58 countries used the services of the Sales Office, representing a total of 729 companies from around the world. 1,130 viewings of 189 films took place at the video library made available to professionals by the Sales Office.
Contacts were made at the Sales Office for the sale of films to different countries, which will materialize in the coming weeks. While the Festival was still in progress, the French film Louise-Michel was purchased by distributors from eight countries, and films including Frozen River and El nido vacío were picked up for distribution in a number of European countries.
Other films from the Official Selection that did not previously have distributors in Spain successfully negotiated distribution deals during the Festival. Such is the case of the winner of the Golden Shell, Pandora’s Box, purchased by Karma Films, Eid milad Laila / Laila’s Birthday purchased by Barton Films and the Japanese film, Aruitemo, Aruitemo (Still Walking), picked up by Golem Distribución. The winner of the Altadis – New Directors award, Li mi de cai xiang (The Equation of Love and Death), was purchased by Barton Films, and Gasolina, the winner of the Horizontes award, received offers from distributors in North America, Latin America and France.
Films in Progress and Cinema in Motion
A total of 64 films from 20 countries took part in the fourteenth edition of Films in Progress: Germany, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, United States, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Portugal, Uruguay and Venezuela. Of the 64 films presented, 13 were co-productions between different countries and 12 had participated in previous years.
Cinema in Motion included projects from 13 countries. Four films were selected to take part in the event during the Festival, attended by 63 companies.
Press and accredited guests
Between film industry professionals and members of the press, 3,041 Festival accreditations were granted this year. From San Sebastian, reporters provided information to international media outfits.
A total of 1,091 journalists from around the world came to San Sebastian to follow the 56th film festival. The 569 media outlets were from 41 countries including the United States, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Egypt, Iran, and a number of countries from Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Oficial Web
The Festival was followed online this year in record-breaking numbers. The official website, www.sansebastianfestival.com, provided up-to-date information with a photo gallery, press conference videos, photocalls, Zabaltegi Meetings and other festival events, plus direct broadcasts of the opening and closing galas and the two Donostia award ceremonies. The website logged more than 4,200,000 visits during the ten days of the Festival and nearly 100,000 video downloads.