Fatih Akin’s ‘Ghost Song’ will open San Sebastián Film Festival, set for Sept. 18 at Kursaal

The San Sebastián Film Festival has selected Fatih Akin’s latest feature, “Ghost Song,” as this year’s opening film, the festival confirmed on Aug. 19. The decision places the German filmmaker’s new work at the center of the festival’s opening-night program, following the ceremony’s events at the Kursaal venue.

“Ghost Song” is scheduled to screen on Sept. 18 at the Kursaal in San Sebastián, according to the festival announcement carried by Deadline. The opening slot determines the first major theatrical appearance of the title within the festival’s program for audiences and industry attendees, and it sets the tone for the rest of the week’s screenings and awards activity.

Akin is known for a long career in European cinema, and “Ghost Song” marks a notable competitive milestone for the director within this specific festival framework. Deadline reported that Akin will be competing for the Golden Shell for the first time, indicating that the film will be eligible for the festival’s top award even as it also serves as the opening feature.

San Sebastián is one of Europe’s prominent film events, and opening films are typically chosen to draw attention from both the public and the industry segment that follows festival lineups closely. With “Ghost Song” opening on Sept. 18, the festival is effectively pairing a high-profile director with a lead-in slot that brings press coverage early in the edition’s schedule.

The festival’s confirmation means the film’s premiere calendar for the event is now fixed at the Kursaal date and time in relation to the opening ceremony. While the wider competitive lineup and other sections were not detailed in the report, the opening selection provides an anchor point for attendees planning their week around headline screenings.

For Akin, participating for the Golden Shell for the first time comes after decades of work as a filmmaker, according to Deadline’s description of his career length. The Golden Shell competition connection also clarifies the film’s status beyond an honorary or non-competitive opener, with the title positioned to be considered within the festival’s main award process.

The festival will next proceed with the full public release of its remaining program details as scheduled, but the Aug. 19 confirmation establishes the key date for “Ghost Song” at San Sebastián’s main screening venue. Deadline’s report also indicated that the festival made the title confirmation that morning, putting the opening-film lineup in place early for the Sept. 18 evening.

In practical terms for the festival audience, the opening slot typically concentrates demand around the first-night screenings and related ceremony programming. For the industry, it gives the film a high-visibility platform at the start of the edition, which can affect scheduling decisions for journalists, critics, buyers, and distributors attending the event. The festival’s announcement does not indicate further distribution plans beyond the film’s screening in the program.