ODE TO JOY
EUROPEAN CINEFEST SAN FRANCISCO
November 19-23, 2026
Delancey St Screening Room
600 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94107
Ode to Joy: European CineFest San Francisco is a European film festival organized by the European Union Office in San Francisco in collaboration with European Consulates and Cultural Institutes.
Now in its second edition, the festival celebrates the joy of storytelling and the diversity of Europe through a selection of 16 films representing 17 participating countries. An exciting cinematic journey across the cultures, languages, and emotions that shape the European film landscape.
All screenings are free and open to the public, with advance registration required.
PROGRAM
Thursday, November 19 | 6:30 PM
TRY!
Ireland, 2026, 88min.
Director: Oisín Mistéil
Try! is a documentary by director Oisín Mistéil that follows four Irish rugby players with disabilities who defy all expectations on their journey to the most inclusive and competitive World Cup you’ve never seen: the Mixed Ability Rugby World Cup in Pamplona. This unique sport is 15-a-side, full-contact rugby played by people with and without disabilities, all with the shared dream of lifting the World Cup trophy. Join Richie, Maeve, Tommy and Paul, from wet and windy training nights to the nail-biting culmination of their World Cup dream. Try! is a celebration of the power of sport in creating community for those who never belonged before.
Friday, November 20 | 3:00 PM
OH, THIS UNSPEAKABLE VOID
Germany, 2026, 136 min.
Director: Simon Verhoeven
At 20, Joachim is unexpectedly accepted into a top Munich acting school and moves in with his eccentric, hard-drinking grandparents, Inge and Hermann. Between the bizarre challenges of acting school and their alcohol-fueled rituals, he searches for his place in the world — without knowing what role he actually plays in it. Oh, This Unspeakable Void is a stunning tragicomedy about arriving in life and having to say goodbye. Between his grandparents’ quirky routines and the intense world of theater, Joachim must navigate grief, identity, and the unspeakable void left by those he’s lost. Starring Bruno Alexander and Senta Berger. Directed by Simon Verhoeven. Oh, This Unspeakable Void is a brilliantly performed adaptation of a bestseller, deeply moving on multiple levels — a film about how to live, how to love, how to let go, and how to move on.
Friday, November 20 | 5:30 PM
HOW TO DIVORCE DURING THE WAR
Lithuania, 2026, 108 min.
Director: Andrius Blaževičius
Vilnius, 2022. High-flying executive Marija (Zygimante Elena Jakstaite) chooses the worst possible moment to inform her husband Vytas (Marius Repsys) she wants a divorce: just one day before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Suddenly the couple must navigate the process of separation as it collides with a refugee and mid-life crisis. A struggling film director, Vytas is put into a tight spot by having to move in with his Russophile parents, while Marija struggles to find her footing as the war affects both her business and home life. As the reason for the divorce gradually becomes clear, the dissolution of Marija and Vytas’ marriage creates conflicts and opportunities for both of them, while also affecting their ever-observant young daughter Dovile. Packed with surprises along with much heartache and soul searching, Andrius Blaževičius’ nuanced and timely family drama skillfully depicts the fallout of a marriage against the backdrop of extraordinary events with humor and compassion.
Friday, November 20 | 7:30 PM
OUR ERIKA
Estonia, 2026, 125 min.
Director: German Golub
Every nation needs a hero. But who asks what the hero herself needs? Our Erika is a compelling drama about resilience, ambition, and the personal cost of sporting greatness. It follows Estonian track cyclist Erika Salumäe from a childhood marked by abuse and hardship to her first Olympic gold medal in 1988. Born in the small town of Elva, Erika must overcome shattered dreams and navigate the ambitions of supporters whose interests do not always align with her own. Her determination propels her toward an extraordinary victory, but behind the public triumph lies a deeply personal struggle. More than a story of athletic achievement, Our Erika reveals the woman behind the national icon—and her fight to shape a life of her own.
Saturday, November 21 | 11:30 AM
MY LIFE IN VERSAILLES
France and Luxembourg, 2025, 81 min.
Director: Clémence Madeleine-Perdrillat, Nathaniel H’Limi
After the death of her parents, eight-year-old Violette begins a new chapter with her uncle Régis, a caretaker at the Palace of Versailles. As they get to know each other, they build a heartwarming bond filled with humour and everyday adventures. This charming, animated film celebrates friendship, resilience and the joy of finding family in unexpected places.
Saturday, November 21 | 1:00 PM
I ACCIDENTALLY WROTE A BOOK
Hungary, 2024, 98 min.
Director: Nóra Lakos
I Accidentally Wrote a Book (Véletlenül írtam egy könyvet) is a whimsical and heartwarming coming-of-age family film that follows 12-year-old storyteller Nina as she dreams of becoming a writer. Under the mentorship of a bohemian novelist next door, she starts translating her daily life into a notebook, only to realize her own reality is turning into a captivating novel. Through a visually stunning blend of live-action and animation, the story beautifully illustrates how the creative process helps Nina navigate girlhood, process unresolved grief over her mother’s death, and open her heart to her father’s new romance.
Saturday, November 21 | 3:00 PM
LA GUITARRA FLAMENCA DE YERAI CORTÉS
Spain, 2024, 95 min.
Director: Antón Álvarez
The directorial debut of Antón Álvarez, better known as C. Tangana, offers a surprising and intimate portrait of virtuoso flamenco guitarist Yerai Cortés and his extraordinary family. Winner of two Goya Awards, including Best Documentary Film. When Antón Álvarez meets Yerai Cortés, he is immediately captivated by his extraordinary talent and intrigued by his family history. Yerai is a unique figure in the world of flamenco, equally respected by the most traditional members of the Roma community and by the avant-garde artists of the new generation to which he belongs. Together, they embark on a journey to record an album shaped by deep sorrow and personal memories. As the creative process unfolds, Yerai is forced to confront his past and uncover a long-held family secret, leading him on an emotional journey toward reconciliation with his parents.
Saturday, November 21 | 5:30 PM
LA GRAZIA
Italy, 2025, 131 min.
Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Mariano De Santis is the President of the Italian Republic. No connection to any real-life presidents; he is entirely a product of the author’s imagination. A widower and a Catholic, he has a daughter, Dorotea, a legal scholar like himself. As his term draws to a close, amid uneventful days, two final duties arise: deciding on two delicate petitions for a presidential pardon. True moral dilemmas, which become tangled with his private life, in ways that seem impossible to unravel. Driven by doubt, he will have to decide. And, with a deep sense of responsibility, that is exactly what this remarkable Italian President will do.
Saturday, November 21 | 8:00 PM
ROOSTER
Greece, 2025, 101 min.
Director: Tassos Gerakinis
A conceited janitor of the Municipality of Athens, decides to provide his 6 year old son with the education for the elit and enrolls him in the first grade of a private school. With each step he takes towards the “greek dream” he sinks deeper and deeper into a tragicomic conflict with his close environment and finally with himself.
Sunday, November 22 | 11:30 AM
JIPPIE NO MORE!
Netherland, 2023, 95 min.
Director: Margien Rogaar
Jaap Peter, a lively 16 year old boy, eagerly prepares for his older sister’s wedding at their beloved grandfather’s country house. As the whole family rallies together to create the perfect celebration, Jaap Peter falls in love for the first time. But when the girl of his dreams is smitten with his younger sister instead, Jaap Peter is disheartened. Through the chaos and tender moments, Jaap Peter learns that his presence and the unbreakable bond of his family are vital in ensuring the wedding’s success.
Sunday, November 22 | 13:30 PM
AN AMERICAN PIANIST IN BRUSSELS
Belgium, 2020, 72 min.
Director: Patricia Niedzwiecki
Daniel Blumenthal’s Biopic: ‘An American Pianist in Brussels’ retraces the life of a talented musician, who’s also truly humble. The film was made under Covid because none of us, Irdecof’s Team, wanted to wait and do nothing during the Beethoven Year. So, we decided to shoot Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata N° 30 Opus 109 and, further on, to make this very special Biopic by a friend for a friend. In ‘An American Pianist In Brussels’, Daniel Blumenthal also reveals his very own teaching method, in other words, an exchange of musical views enriching both the master and his students. Imagine, if all the teachers in the world taught like him, I’m sure the world would be a better place for all.
Sunday, November 22 | 3:00 PM
LONG GOOD THURSDAY
Finland, 2024, 97 min.
Director: Mika Kaurismäki
While doing groceries, old man catches a whiff of a woman, Saimi, who smells just right and makes his world spin around. The man is struggling to believe that, in his heart, he could ever feel like a young boy again. He can’t help but admit that he enjoys Saimi’s company. The words, gaze, and touch of another person awaken long-lost feelings. His sons are skeptical, even jealous of their father, and don’t trust Saimi’s intentions. Who knows, maybe she’s after his inheritance. Family meetings, misunderstandings, swimming in the moonlight, sleepless nights. The power of love can pierce through even the oldest of flannel shirts.
Sunday, November 22 | 5:00 PM
EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS
Austria, 2025, 52 min.
Director: Veronika Emily Pohl
How do artists keep creating even in the darkest of times? How did the life-altering events of World War II shape our musical landscape up to today? This documentary uncovers the poignant stories of Mieczyslaw Weinberg and Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Two 20th-century composers of profound artistry, whose legacy is only recently being rediscovered after having been overshadowed in the aftermath of the Holocaust. The film follows the album recording of Four time GRAMMY®-nominated US-conductor Constantine Orbelian, chief conductor of the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, and in adjacent segments it delves into the history of Weinberg’s and Korngold’s very contrasting lives. Born respectively in Warsaw and Vienna and bound by their Jewish heritage, both composers were forced to flee the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II.
Sunday, November 22 | 6:15 PM
LALKA
Poland, 2026, 166 min.
Director: Maciej Kawalski
Warsaw, 1870s. Wealthy merchant Stanislaw Wokulski falls in love with beautiful yet vain aristocrat Izabela Lecka. His unfulfilled love leads to many foolish decisions sealing his fate.
Monday, November 23 | 5:30 PM
DOLPH: UNBREAKABLE
Sweden, 2025, 78 min.
Director: Andrew Holmes
Dolph: Unbreakable is a raw and revealing portrait of action icon Dolph Lundgren. From a troubled upbringing in Sweden to global superstardom, the film explores Dolph’s hidden battles, including childhood trauma, chronic injuries and a brutal cancer diagnosis, and his relentless drive to survive, reinvent himself and inspire others. Featuring intimate access to Dolph and his family, alongside interviews with Hollywood legends Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme and others, Dolph: Unbreakable reveals the man behind the action hero.
Monday, November 23 | 7:30 PM
A MEMÓRIA DO CHEIRO DAS COISAS (The Scent of Things Remembered)
Portugal, 2025, 96 min.
Director: António Ferreira
Arménio, an octogenarian and veteran of the Portuguese colonial war, is forced to move into a nursing home, where he meets Hermínia, a Black caregiver who will look after him. Confronted with the vulnerability of old age, Arménio is forced to face the ghosts of his past, while an unexpected friendship blossoms between him and Hermínia.