Netflix film “On Behalf Of My Son” selected for competition at San Sebastián festival

Netflix is highlighting its continued push into international film programming after saying its film “On Behalf Of My Son,” by Minas Gerais-born director Gabriel Martins, was selected for competition at one of Spain’s best-known annual events.

In a post on Netflix’s newsroom, the company said the movie has been chosen for the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival in the festival’s Official Selection, or Sección Oficial, which is the main competitive slate for the event.

San Sebastián’s Official Selection typically draws a mix of internationally oriented projects, and being named to the competition program places a film in front of festival audiences, critics, and industry buyers during the festival’s running period in Spain.

The newsroom announcement does not provide additional production or release information beyond the festival selection, including whether the film is part of a wider release strategy for streaming, theatrical, or both, nor does it outline cast details, production credits, or awards expectations tied to the selection.

For Netflix, festival placements are often used as a announcement of cultural reach and content depth, particularly as streaming rivals compete for attention with a mix of original series and feature films. A marquee European festival entry can also provide marketing lift for projects that may later be rolled out through Netflix or through festival-adjacent distribution channels.

The company’s post also does not specify what Netflix’s role is in the project, such as whether it is the financier, producer, or rights holder, and it does not describe the film’s themes or critical positioning beyond the director and festival berth.

Sector-wide, streamer-backed European film festivals have become a recurring battleground for prestige. Netflix’s selection adds another item to the company’s slate of internationally visible titles, even if the newsroom item stays focused on the festival announcement rather than broader strategy.

What’s still unclear from Netflix’s announcement is the timing of the film’s availability to viewers, any planned marketing campaign around the festival, and whether the project will appear in other festivals before or after San Sebastián. Those details, if they exist, were not included in the company’s post, leaving investors and watchers to look for follow-on updates from Netflix or the festival’s own programming releases.