Glenn Close Cancels San Sebastian Festival Role Due to Family Emergency

Actress Glenn Close withdrew from jury president duties at Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival hours before its September 16 opening due to an undisclosed family emergency.

Festival Scrambles for Replacement

The 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival organizers moved quickly to replace the 77-year-old Academy Award nominee, appointing Argentine producer Matías Mosteirín as the new jury president. Mosteirín was already serving as a jury member and will now lead the panel without a replacement being added.

Close had expressed enthusiasm for the role just last week, posting on social media that serving as jury president would be “a new adventure I’ve never done before”. The actress said she loved San Sebastian and was excited to meet fellow jury members and view festival films.

Statement of Regret

In a statement released by festival organizers, Close apologized for the last-minute cancellation.

“I deeply regret that I will not be able to take part in the Festival as there has been a family emergency for which I must stay home,” Close said. “I apologize to the Festival, the Jury, the filmmakers, the Donostia honorees and the festival audience, that I will not be there to celebrate with you all”.

Festival organizers said Close “conveyed to the Festival her regrets for not being able to attend a duty to which she felt very committed”.

New Jury Leadership

Mosteirín brings significant industry experience to his new role as jury president. The Buenos Aires-based producer serves as managing director at K&S Films and has credits on Academy Award-nominated films including Fernando Meirelles’ “The Two Popes”. His other producing credits include Gonzalo Tobal’s “The Accused” and Damián Szifron’s “Wild Tales”.

The remaining jury members include casting director Antoinette Boulat from France, filmmakers Tea Lindeburg from Denmark, Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese from Lesotho, Hlynur Pálmason from Iceland, and Spanish author Rosa Montero.

Close last attended the San Sebastian Festival in 2017 when “The Wife” closed the Official Section, a performance that later earned her an eighth Oscar nomination. The festival runs through September 24 in the Basque region of Spain.