The feature films ‘Verano Trippin’, ‘As the Water Flows’ and ‘Ashima’ to screen in the Other Activities section

The San Sebastián Festival’s Other Activities section will include, amongst other proposals, the screenings of the Argentinian film Verano Trippin and of the Chinese feature films As the Water Flows and Ashima. The restored copy of this latter film from 1964 will screen as a world premiere in San Sebastián.

OrcaFilms will present Verano Trippin, the debut film from the Argentinian filmmaker Morena Fernández Quinteros. Starring Miranda de la Serna and Zoe Hochbaum with the special participation of Lali Espósito, the film follows the story of Toni and Lena, two inseparable friends who dream of escaping from the monotony of their Patagonian village and exploring the world. The film will have two screenings in theatre 9 of the Príncipe cinemas: on the 25 September at 14:30 and on the 26th at 17:00.  

Theatre 9 of the Príncipe cinemas will also host, on the 21st at 12:30, the screening of the other debut, As the Water Flows, from the Chinese director Bian Zhuo, who won the Best Debut Film Award in the New Asian Talents section of the Shanghai Festival with this work. A man struggling to get over his wife’s sudden death stars in this feature film programmed in collaboration with the Shanghai Festival, with which the San Sebastián Festival will sign an agreement this year.  

Finally, the San Sebastián Festival will host the world premiere of the restored copy of Ashima, a film directed in 1964 by Qiong Liu depicting the tragic story of two lovers. Considered to be the first Chinese widescreen musical shot in colour and with stereo sound, the film will screen on the 26th at 12:30 in theatre 9 of the Príncipe cinemas in a copy restored by the Shanghai Film Technology Plant Co. Ltd. and L’Immagine Ritrovata.  

Verano Trippin

Morena Fernández Quinteros (Argentina)

Country(ies) of production: Argentina

Cast: Miranda De La Serna, Zoe Hochbaum, Lali Espósito, Ariel Staltari, Manu Fanego

Toni and Lena, inseparable friends, dream of escaping the monotony of their Patagonian village and exploring the world. To raise money, they start selling marijuana. What seemed like an adventure turns into a spiral of danger and betrayal.

As the Water Flows

Bian Zhuo (China)

Country(ies) of production: China

Cast: Li ZhenPing, Wang Juan

After his wife’s sudden death, Shu Wen struggled to recover. A year later, he considered a new romance, but his daughters disagreed. This led to a communication opportunity, making Shu Wen aware of his past absence in the family.

Ashima

Qiong LIU (China)

Country(ies) of production: China

In 2025, the Shanghai Film Technology Plant Co., Ltd. partner with L’Immagine Ritrovata to restore Ashima (1964). Adapted from a narrative folk poem of the Sani people, a subgroup of the Yi ethnic group in Yunnan, this film depicts the tragic story of two lovers. Notably, Ashima is recognized as the first color widescreen musical produced after the founding of the People’s Republic of China.