Romanian Drama Takes Top Prize at 2026 Seville Film Festival

Romanian director Florin Şerban claimed the Golden Giraldillo for Best Film at the 2026 Seville European Film Festival on Saturday. The victory adds to a Golden Leopard award he previously received at Locarno for the same title. The festival, which operates as a hub for new talent and industry networking, also recognized other notable European productions, including the Venice New Horizons hit 'Falling House' and Sweden’s Oscar entry 'Adult Supervision.'

'You Don’t Belong Here' is a somber exploration of anti-Roma racism in Romania. It is the fourth feature from Şerban, whose 2010 debut 'If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle' won a Grand Prix at the Berlinale. The film follows a respected surgeon who discovers his son has been involved in the beating of a Roma man. Shot in the characteristic drab tones of Romanian cinema, the film won four awards at Locarno, though it received mixed critical reception there.

The Grand Jury Award went to 'Falling House,' directed by Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Gharaei. The film also won for Best Editing, awarded to Evelyn Rack and Emad Khodabakhsh. Described by the director as a story about lost freedom, the plot centers on a prison guard who locks his family in a house slated for demolition after learning his eldest daughter plans to move to Turkey to pursue a career in modeling. The film has already secured distribution deals in France, Italy, and Spain.

Sweden’s 'Adult Supervision' emerged as a major winner among debut features. Directed by well-known author and podcast host Alex Schulman, the film took home the Puerta América Award and the Best Actor prize. The acting award was shared by Gustaf Skarsgård, Fares Fares, and Linus Wahlgren. The film has been widely sold by Heretic, including deals with WBD, Place, and Vertigo, bolstering its profile as Sweden’s entry for the International Feature Oscar.

Spain’s 'El Director,' directed by Dani de la Orden, received the Best Screenplay award. The film is based on David Jiménez’s autobiographical non-fiction book about his time as editor-in-chief at the newspaper El Mundo. The prize was specifically awarded to co-writers Alejandro Hernández and Michel Gaztambide. This award was highlighted as significant given the festival’s launch of Insula, a new screenplay market in partnership with Spain’s ICAA film agency.

Other notable awards included Best Direction for Tommaso Landucci’s 'Children of the Monkey,' which previously won for screenplay and acting at Venice. The film explores the emotional dilemma of a father with a disabled son. Melania Cruz won Best Actress for her lead role in 'Tralovento,' also known as 'Wild Is the Wind.' The film, directed by Eloy Domínguez Serén, follows a woman who returns to rural Galicia to oppose the construction of a wind farm on community land.

The festival also recognized films from Austria and Nepal. Markus Schleinzer’s 'Rose' received a Special Mention of the Puerta América Award. 'Elephants in the Fog,' a submission from Nepal directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, won for Best Cinematography, awarded to Noé Bach. Bogdan Ionescu won Best Art Direction for 'You Don’t Belong Here.'

In the short film categories, Hadrien Bels’s 'Fresh Cut' won for Live Action, while Jamaica Kindlová’s 'Gently' took the top prize for Animation. The Embrujo section awarded Best Film to Mohanad Yaqubi’s 'Revolutionaries Never Die.' In the Rampa section, Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu won for 'House of the Wind.' Adrian Goiginger’s 'Four Minus Three' was the top pick in the Alumbramiento section.

The Panorama Andaluz section saw David Martín de los Santos win the Juan Antonio Bermúdez Best Film Award for 'A Man on a Bridge.' María Molina Peiró won the Best Documentary Award for 'Como todo mortal.' The audience at the EFA Selection voted for Lukas Dhont’s 'Coward' as the best film. Younger audiences awarded the Film Lovers of the Future prize to 'In Waves' and the Europa Junior Award to 'Momonsters. La película de Navidad.'

The 23rd edition of the Seville European Film Festival continues to serve as a platform for European cinema to gain international visibility. By combining competitive awards with industry markets and showcases for emerging directors, the event reinforces its role in the European film industry. The winners of this year’s festival represent a diverse range of styles and origins, from established auteurs to first-time directors.