The Zinemaldia jury has confirmed that Naomi Watts will receive the Donostia Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival on 19 September 2026, after the festival announced in August that Werner Herzog would be the first honoree for the 2026 edition.

Official confirmation and ceremony details

The confirmation comes from a Euronews Business article published on 31 August 2026, which states that Watts will be presented with the prize at a gala on 19 September 2026. The article also notes that the gala will be followed by a screening of the film “La esposa perfecta” by Ben Shirinian, in which Watts appears in the cast.

“The Zinemaldia jury has confirmed that Watts will receive the prize on 19 September at a gala after which the film 'La esposa perfecta', by Ben Shirinian, in which the actress appears in the cast, will be screened.” – Euronews Business

The ceremony will therefore combine the award presentation with a public screening, offering festival audiences a chance to see Watts on screen the same evening.

Werner Herzog’s earlier honour

In August 2026 the San Sebastián Film Festival announced that the first of the 2026 Donostia Awards would go to director, screenwriter, producer and actor Werner Herzog. The festival’s own announcement, linked in the research packet, serves as the source for this earlier honour.

Herzog’s selection marks the opening of the festival’s 2026 honoree series, with Watts slated as the second recipient. The two announcements together illustrate the festival’s practice of pairing a veteran filmmaker with a contemporary acting talent for the same edition.

About the Donostia Award and the festival

The Donostia Award is presented by the San Sebastián International Film Festival, a cultural institution founded on 1 January 1953 and based in the city of San Sebastián, Spain. The festival’s basic facts are drawn from Wikidata (Q622423). The research packet flags that the Wikidata entry may lag on details such as the current chief executive or employee count, and therefore those figures are omitted pending confirmation from the festival’s own site.

Since its inception, the festival has become a key event on the European film calendar, attracting international filmmakers, actors and industry professionals. The Donostia Award, the festival’s flagship honour, is traditionally presented during the closing gala, a moment that draws significant media attention.

Timeline of announcements

Why the announcements matter

Both honorees are internationally recognised figures. Werner Herzog, a veteran of European cinema, brings a legacy of auteur filmmaking, while Naomi Watts, an English actress whose career spans more than two decades, represents contemporary acting talent. Their selection underscores the festival’s dual focus on honoring cinematic heritage and highlighting current artistic contributions.

The inclusion of a film screening featuring Watts immediately after the award ceremony adds a promotional dimension: it gives audiences a direct view of the honoree’s recent work and may boost the film’s visibility across the festival circuit.

Open questions

The research packet does not provide the name of the festival’s current chief executive or the number of staff employed, and the Wikidata entry notes that such details may be out‑of‑date. The festival’s own website or latest filing would be required to confirm those organisational facts before publication.

Additionally, while the Euronews Business article confirms the ceremony date, it does not specify the exact time of the gala or the capacity of the venue. Those logistical details remain unknown at this stage.

What comes next

With the ceremony scheduled for 19 September 2026, the festival will likely issue further communications about ticketing, programme details and any ancillary events linked to the award. Observers will be watching for any statements from Watts or Herzog regarding their upcoming appearances, as well as for reactions from the film‑industry community.

Until the gala takes place, the confirmed facts are limited to the award recipients, the ceremony date and the post‑award screening, all of which are documented in the sources cited above.