San Sebastián Film Festival Highlights 'Winnipeg' Soundtrack in Orchestral Showcase

History and music came together at the 74th San Sebastián Film Festival, where the Euskadiko Orkestra and the Orfeón Donostiarra performed a suite from the soundtrack of Winnipeg, the Ship of Hope. As announced at the festival’s Velodrome, the score—composed by Tenerife native Diego Navarro—is a central part of the film directed by Beñat Beitia and Elio Quiroga.

Featured in the Zinemira section, which highlights Basque cinema, the film tells the story of Spanish refugees who fled after the fall of Barcelona in 1939. After passing through French internment camps, they eventually found a new home in Chile. Based on Laura Martel’s graphic novel, the film uses Navarro’s music to capture the pain of exile and the struggle to rebuild a life. The composer described the score as one of his most personal works, noting that he began writing it during the global pandemic lockdowns.

The performance highlighted the ongoing partnership between the San Sebastián festival, the Basque orchestra, and the SGAE Foundation. Written for a full orchestra and choir, the music serves as the emotional backbone for the journey of the film’s main characters, Víctor and Julia. By showcasing this suite, the festival emphasized how original music is essential to modern storytelling, adding deep emotional resonance to the historical events depicted in this Spanish, Chilean, and Argentine co-production.