Brad Pitt returns to San Sebastian after 17 years to present 'Heart of the Beast'

Published on 24/08/2026 - 15:34 GMT+2

Brad Pitt will return to the San Sebastián Film Festival 17 years after his last visit to present_Heart of the Beast_, the new film by David Ayer, the organisers of the event announced on Monday (source in Spanish).

The American actor will attend the festival's 74th edition, which will run from 18 to 26 September, to present the film, which will be screened out of competitionin the Official Selection. Pitt and Ayer previously worked together on Fury (2014).

Heart of the Beast is an adventure survival thriller in which Pitt plays James Belmont, a retired Army Special Forces officer who survives a plane crash along with Odin, his former military working dog. The pair become trapped in the Alaskan wildernessand must fight to stay alive and make their way back to civilisation.

The cast also includes J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe. The film is written by Cameron Alexander and produced by Pitt, Olivia Hamilton, Marty Bowen and Ayer himself, with filmmaker Damien Chazelle among the executive producers. The film will open in cinemas on 25 September. You can watch the official trailer below:

Back in San Sebastián after 17 years away

The visit will mark Brad Pitt's return to the San Sebastián Film Festival after 17 years. The actor last attended in 2009, when he presented _Inglourious Basterds_alongside its director, Quentin Tarantino, in the Perlak section.

The addition of Heart of the Beast completes the Official Selection of the 74th edition (source in Spanish), made up of 17 films in competition, three out of competition and five Special Screenings.

David Ayer, born in Illinois in 1968, began his career as a screenwriter and penned works such as U-571 and _Training Day_before moving into directing. His films include End of Watch, Fury, Suicide Squad, The Beekeeper and A Working Man.

The 74th edition of the Sebastián Film Festival will run from 18-26 September 2026.