Mariana Rondón's Pelo malo / Bad Hair (pictured) was announced today as the winner of the Golden Shell as Best Film at the 61st edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival. Rondón's third feature film makes history as the first Venezuelan film to ever win the Spanish festival. It is the sixth Latin American film to win the Golden Shell prize, the last time was in 2001 with the Chilean film Taxi para tres / Cab for Three by Orlando Lübbert.
The film tells the story of Junior, a sensitive, slim nine-year-old who lives with his single mother Marta, who's trying to get her security guard job back, and his baby brother. Before school begins, Junior needs his photo taken, but, prodded by his indulgent grandmother (who senses that he's gay) and his plump gal pal neighbour, he's become obsessed with straightening his curly hair beforehand.
Other Latin American winners at San Sebastian are Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke who won the Silver Shell as Best Director for his film Club Sándwich, and Brazilian film O lobo atras da porta / Wolf at the Door by Fernando Coimbra which won the Horizontes Latinos Award in the Latin American competition.
The 61st edition of the festival took place September 20-28 in Spain.
