San Sebastian announces awards

All play major roles at the festival: Allen has the world preem of "Melinda Melinda" screening at its opening gala on Sept. 17 and is the subject of a major retrospective; Bening toplines Istvan Szabo's out-of-competition "Being Julia;" and Bridges plays opposite Kim Bassinger in Tod Williams' closing gala film "The Door in the Floor" in what is regarded as a career high performance.

Established as a way of attracting star wattage to San Sebastian, the Donostia Awards rapidly achieved a significant stature. Last year's plaudits went to Isabelle Huppert, Robert Duvall and Sean Penn in an early recognition on his way to the best actor Academy Award six months later.

In the final run-up to the festival, which takes place Sept. 17-25, its organizers have announced its official jury, with Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, the major figure with Gabriel Garcia Marquez in the 1960s Latin American Boom, lining up as its president. The jury also includes U.S. helmer Tom DiCillo, Spanish producer Marta Esteban, who co-produced Ken Loach's "Land and Freedom," Italian actress Laura Morante ("The Son's Room"), twice Oscar-nommed Portuguese cinematographer Eduardo Serra, ("Girl With a Pearl Earring"), Georgian director Dito Tsintsadze whose "Gun-Shy" won San Sebastian's best film Golden Shell last year, and the French born director-producer of Algerian-origin Yamina Benguigui ("Inch'Allah Sunday").

On Sept.23, the San Sebastian fest will host a day-long seminar/workshop addressing Cinema and Regions in Europe.

Inaugurating a new plaudit at the festival, European culture commissioner Viviane Reding will receive a European Personality of the Year Award a day later.