Hollywood actors Naomi Watts, Brad Pitt, and Penelope Cruz are set to attend the 74th San Sebastian Film Festival, which will take place from September 18 to 26 in the northern Spanish city. The festival is expected to feature a high-profile lineup, including a mini-series by Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain, drawing significant attention from the international film community.

Naomi Watts, 57, will be honored with the “Donostia” lifetime achievement award during the festival’s closing weekend. Organizers have recognized her as one of the most talented actresses of her generation, noting her acclaimed roles in “21 Grams” (2003), directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and “The Impossible” (2012), directed by Juan Antonio Bayona. Watts, who holds British and Australian citizenship, has earned two Academy Award nominations for these performances.

On the opening day, German director Werner Herzog will receive the other “Donostia” award, honoring a prolific career that spans approximately 70 films. Herzog’s presence underscores the festival's commitment to celebrating cinematic achievements across generations and styles.

The festival’s official competition will feature 17 films contending for the Golden Shell prize, with a jury led by U.S. director Ira Sachs. Among the contenders is Larrain’s mini-series “My Sad Dead,” inspired by the stories of Argentine writer Mariana Enriquez. Known for his earlier works such as “No,” “Neruda,” and a recent trilogy centered on influential women Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Princess Diana, and Maria Callas, Larrain explores themes of mortality and the supernatural through the story of a recently retired doctor who can see the dead.

Jesse Eisenberg appears with his third long-format project, “The Debut,” further bolstering the festival's diverse selection. Outside the competition, Brad Pitt will present “Heart of the Beast,” directed by David Ayer. In the film, Pitt portrays a military officer who becomes stranded in Alaska with his dog following an air crash.

Other notable figures expected on the festival’s red carpet include Marion Cotillard, Orlando Bloom, Ricardo Darin, Jeremy Irons, Rami Malek, and Diego Luna, highlighting the event’s international appeal and significance in the global film calendar.