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San Sebastián had a proper taste of Hollywood glamour this Sunday when Brad Pitt arrived at the Maria Cristina Hotel to an eager crowd of fans, many of whom had been waiting for hours just to catch a glimpse of him.

 

Stepping out of his car shortly after 1pm, Pitt was dressed casually in a blue jacket, dark grey trousers and a pair of eye catching fluorescent yellow trainers. The moment he appeared, the crowd erupted into chants of "Brad, Brad, Brad!", phones and notebooks thrust into the air in hope of a photo or an autograph.

 

Rather than rushing past, the actor took his time. Under a bright sun, he spent a full half hour greeting fans, posing for selfies and signing whatever was put in front of him, all with what onlookers described as genuine warmth and patience. It's the kind of gesture that tends to stick with people, and judging by the reaction, his fans were thrilled by it.

 

Before heading inside, Pitt greeted José Luis Rebordinos, the director of the San Sebastian Film Festival, and gave the waiting crowd one last treat, blowing them a kiss before disappearing through the hotel doors.

 

The visit is part of his trip to present David Ayer's film, 'Heart of the Beast', which is showing in the festival's Official Section, though outside of competition. Pitt himself won't be at the screening with the rest of the cast and crew until Wednesday, so Sunday's appearance was very much about the fans rather than the film itself.

 

This isn't Pitt's first trip to the Basque city. He was last here back in 2009, and made the most of his final hours in town with a visit to Chillida Leku, the open air museum dedicated to sculptor Eduardo Chillida. That day couldn't have been more different weather wise, with Pitt sheltering under an umbrella as he explored the grounds and photographed several of the works. The Chillida family were so taken with his visit that they gave him three English language books about the artist as a memento.

 

Image: wikicommons