Quick Take
The 71st Seminci in Valladolid was a mixed bag of bold arthouse moves, cozy crowd-pleasers and a handful of eyebrow-raising moments. We sat through the lineup so you don’t have to — and yes, we came home with opinions.
Top Picks
These are the films that stuck with us: Queen at Sea, Club Kid, Minotauro, Rose, The Man I Love, Amziah King’s Rivals, Yellow Letters, The Tribe, Elsinore. They’re the ones we left the theater still thinking about, the ones you should probably prioritize.
Worth Checking Out
Not perfect, but interesting: Josephine, La Gradiva, Un bon petit soldat, We Are All Strangers, Talent for Killing, Dao, A Man of Our Time, Lawless Gold. Expect strong moments, smart ideas and occasional misfires.
Take-It-or-Leave-It
These are the fence-sitters — moments of charm, moments of meh: My Notes on Mars, The Echo Chamber, A Family, Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall, The Violinist, Unknown Woman, Sisters, I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming, Pray for Us, A Kind Monster, Everytime, A Man on a Bridge, A Bit of Light, The Informant, Man Overboard.
Not Worth Your Time
For us these didn’t land: The Lucky Islands, Prosecution, Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?, Double Freedom. Skip unless curiosity or critics’ stubbornness drags you in.
Daily Chronicles
We also posted daily wrap-ups—Parts I through IX—if you want a blow-by-blow of the festival vibe, highlights and surprises from each day.
Final Notes
Seminci 71 delivered a little bit of everything: buzzy winners, quiet gems and a few duds. If you’re a festival fan, there’s treasure here; if you’re just dipping a toe, start with our top picks and work your way down.