Which section is "El mal hijo" in?

The Nuevos Directores section of the 74th San Sebastián festival — not the Official Selection. It opens the section on 18 September.

What is the film about?

Per RTVC, it follows Rubén, an eleven-year-old boy who must go to live with a grandmother he barely knows after his father disappears.

The actor Jaime Lorente, in his directorial debut. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Salvador S. Molina.

What is the Canary Islands connection?

The sources say the film was partly shot on Gran Canaria and produced in the Canary Islands. No further locations are named.

When is the festival?

From 18 to 26 September 2026 in San Sebastián.

CANARY ISLANDS · FILM

"El mal hijo": Gran Canaria-shot film opens Nuevos Directores at San Sebastián

The Spanish feature film "El mal hijo" has been selected for the Nuevos Directores (New Directors) section of the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival. Partly shot and produced in the Canary Islands, it will open the section on the festival's first day, 18 September.

27 August 2026 · By Julia Roca Bethencourt · 5 min

Photo: Mmrsafy, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Symbolbild).

According to the public broadcaster RTVC (around 1 August 2026) and the newspaper eldiario.es, it is the directorial debut of the actor Jaime Lorente. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Salvador S. Molina.

What we know

"El mal hijo" is running in Nuevos Directores, the competition for first and second feature films — not in the Official Selection. The film was chosen to open that section on the opening day of the festival.

The 2026 edition of the San Sebastián festival, its 74th, runs from 18 to 26 September. That a Canary-shot film opens the section is being welcomed on the islands as a visible result of local film-making.

What it is about

According to RTVC, "El mal hijo" tells the story of Rubén, an eleven-year-old boy. After his father disappears, he has to go and live with his grandmother — a woman he barely knows.

From that starting point the drama unfolds: a child thrust into an unfamiliar family world who must come to terms with loss and a new beginning. The sources give no further plot details.

The director and the source novel

The film is directed by the actor Jaime Lorente. "El mal hijo" is his directorial debut, described in the sources as an "ópera prima" — a first feature. The reports do not detail his previous acting roles.

The film is based on the novel of the same name by Salvador S. Molina. It thus joins the literary adaptations that regularly feature in the festival's programme.

The cast

The leading players include Susi Sánchez, a two-time winner of Spain's Goya award. Alongside her are Miguel Ángel Puro and the young performer Hugo Arbués.

Also in the ensemble are Óscar de la Fuente, a Premio Feroz winner, and Abel de la Fuente. The mix of award-winning and young performers shapes the project.

Why it matters for the Canary Islands

According to the sources, "El mal hijo" was partly shot on the island of Gran Canaria and produced in the Canary Islands. A film made on the archipelago reaching a major international festival such as San Sebastián is seen as a showcase for the local film and production sector.

For the Canary Islands industry, the selection is a signal that productions from the islands can reach prestigious festival stages. Which municipalities or other islands served as locations is not stated in the reports, however.

When and where: The 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival runs from 18 to 26 September 2026. "El mal hijo" opens the Nuevos Directores section on the first day, 18 September. Screening times and venues are published on the festival's official programme page.

Context: So far only Gran Canaria is confirmed as a filming location — and only "in part". The sources name no exact municipalities or other islands. The film is in the Nuevos Directores section, not the Official Selection.

Key facts

Film: "El mal hijo", a Spanish feature, per RTVC partly shot on Gran Canaria and produced in the Canary Islands.
Section: Nuevos Directores at the 74th San Sebastián festival (not the Official Selection).
Opens the section on the festival's first day, 18 September 2026.
Festival dates: 18 to 26 September 2026.
Director: the actor Jaime Lorente (debut feature); based on the novel by Salvador S. Molina.
Cast: Susi Sánchez, Miguel Ángel Puro, Hugo Arbués, Óscar de la Fuente, Abel de la Fuente.

FAQ

Which section is "El mal hijo" in?: The Nuevos Directores section of the 74th San Sebastián festival — not the Official Selection. It opens the section on 18 September.
What is the film about?: Per RTVC, it follows Rubén, an eleven-year-old boy who must go to live with a grandmother he barely knows after his father disappears.
Who directed it?: The actor Jaime Lorente, in his directorial debut. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Salvador S. Molina.
What is the Canary Islands connection?: The sources say the film was partly shot on Gran Canaria and produced in the Canary Islands. No further locations are named.
When is the festival?: From 18 to 26 September 2026 in San Sebastián.

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