‘+90dB’
A Basque rock band travels the globe playing to diehard fans from Japan, the U.S., Germany and France. Marina Lameiro’s second film, produced by Arena Comunicación and Txalap.art.
‘918 NIGHTS’
Arantza Santesteban writes and directs her first feature documentary in which she explores the experience of being incarcerated for what seemed to be 918 nights. Txintxua Films and Hiruki Filmak currently produce.
‘BROMO: AGENT GERNIKA’
Directed by Gerard Escuer the documentary follows the tumultuous life of José Laradogoitia a Basque double spy that worked against the Nazis during the World War Two. Produced by Area Audiovisual the documentary that plays with fictionalized scenes was selected in the Co production Forum of Documentaries Lau Haizetara on the 67th edition of San Sebastian. Is currently in preproduction.
‘BYE, BYE, MR. ETXEBESTE’
Asier Altuna and Telmo Esnal’s follow-up to their 2005 social satire “Hello, Mr. Etxebeste,” the first Basque-language feature in years, and which proved the industrial viability of films in the language. Feminist-tinged political high-jinks as Patrizio Etxebeste, the mayor of the original, steps down as mayor, making way for his wife, María Luisa, who has a mind of her own. World premiered at San Sebastian as its 2019 as the Basque Cinema Gala title.
SA: Filmax
‘CHOLITAS’
Directed by Pablo Iraburu (“The Ridge,” “Nomadak”) and Jaime Murciego, the documentary follows six indigenous Bolivian women as they climb Aconcagua in the Andes. Arena Comunicación-produced, Movistar + has taken pay TV rights.
SA: Filmsales
‘DOUBLE PLUS FIFTEEN’
Written and directed by Mikel Rueda (“Hidden Away”) who’s once again backed by Baleuko in co-production with Sonora. Starring Maribel Verdú and German Alcarazu, a Malaga Festival standout exploring with necessary sensibility the relationship between a teen and an older woman.
SA: Filmax
ELCANO AND MAGELLAN, THE FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD
Ángel Alonso’s (“The Thief of Dreams”) second animated feature re-tells the adventures of Portugal’s Fernando de Magallanes and the Basque Country’s Juan Sebastián Elcano, leaders of the first global circumnavigation. A transmedia project, the film has accompanying VR experiences as well. Produced by Dibulitoon (“Yoko”), one of leading animation production houses in the Basque Country.
SA: Filmax
‘THE ENDLESS TRENCH’
The big one. Moriarty and Irusoin’s follow-up to “Loreak” (“Flowers”) and “Handia” (Giant) and the Basque cinema’s 2019 San Sebastian main competition entry. As of Sept. 24 at least, it figured as the best ranked of titles from anywhere in the world on a Spanish critics poll.
Directed by Moriarti producer-director trio Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño and Jose Mari Goenaga (“Flowers,” “Giant”) and produced by Xabi Berzosa at Irusoin, Moriarti, Andalusia’s La Claqueta and France’s Manny Films, a trenchant metaphor for narrow-mindedness past and present in Spain as a Republican councillor Higinio Blanco (Antonio de la Torre) hides in his own home in 1936, to avoid being shot by Francisco Franco’s troops, and only emerges from his cubby hole 33 years later. ,
SA: Film Factory
‘FANTASIA’
Actors turned filmmakers Aitor and Amaia Medino propose a complex portrait of their parents’ love on a cruise vacation. Produced by Doxa Producciones.
‘FIRE WILL COME’
Another career step-up for Oliver Laxe (“You Are All Captains,” “Mimosas,” ) and a Jury Prize winner at this year’s Cannes Un Certain Regard, following a convicted pyromaniac as he tries to settle in again at his family farmstead. “A rustically beautiful rural parable” which exerts “dreamy, mesmeric power,” Guy Lodge wrote in his Variety review.
Co-produced by A Miramemira, 4 A 4 Prods., Kowalski Films, Tarantula production.
SA: Pyramide International.
‘THE GOLDEN LEGEND’
From the Berlinale Official Short Film Selection, directors Chema Ibarra (“The Attack of the Robots of Nebula-5”) and Ion de Sosa (“Androids Dream”) show a casual miracle on a summer day at the swimming pool in the village of Montánchez, Spain.
‘HONOR DIVISION’
Ainhoa Andraka, CEO of Doxa Producciones, which produces the feature, directs this documentary following the lives of a now dispersed wheelchair basketball team which, a decade ago, gave everything to qualify in the Honor Division, the premier category of the sport.
‘INLAND’
Second feature film for Juan Palacios, winner of the Irizar Basque Film Award, a portrait of rural Spain that shifts gazes between a variety of Spanish characters. Produced by Doxa Producciones and Jabuba Films and distributed by Taskovsky.
‘JORDI’S LETTERS’
An emotional portrait of Jordi Desquens, a 51-year-old man with mental paralysis, that follows him as he searches for a contact with God, a contact he once felt when he 21. This first documentary of Maider Fernández Iriarte is produced by Señor y Señora S.L
SA: Márgenes Distribución, Agencia Freak
‘KARMELE – TIME TO WAKE UP TOGETHER’
Asier Altuna is set to direct the story of a woman and her family through 20th century Spain including the Civil War, ensuing dictatorship and final exile. Produced by Txintxua Films with Bainet Teknika and Gastibeltza Filmak. In development.
‘LIVING ROOM’
Documentary short showing the daily lives of different families in their living rooms, directed by Pablo Iraburu and Miguel García, and produced by Area Audiovisual.
‘NATASHA’
After “Oreina” (“Deer”), Koldo Almandoz returns with his third feature, a portrait of a young girl. Txintxua Films produce. Currently in development.
‘THE PLATFORM’
One of the early buzz titles at Toronto and the first feature of Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, establishing him most certainly as a talent to track, a brutal dystopian allegory set in a vertical prison, with hundreds of floors, down which every day a stone dumbwaiter descends with food left over from tenants above. Snapped up by CAA and production-sales company XYZ for U.S. representation rights as it bowed in Toronto’s Midnight Madness and then by Netflix for the world outside Asian territories pre-sold by sales agent Latido Films. A winner of the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award at TIFF, produced by Basque Films, and Mr Miyagi
SA: Latido Films
‘SAVE THE TREE’
Filmax distributes a Baleuko Animation film co-produced with Tortuga Studios (Brazil) and Polar Studio (Mexico). Iker Alvarez and Haizea Pastor direct this eco animation feature targeting young audiences.
‘STRANDED’
Selected as the Zinemira opening gala, Helena Taberna dives again into contemporary social themes following the hardships of daily life of refugees that wait in Greece, under precarious conditions, for documents allowing them to continue their migration. Produced by Lamia with the help of the ONG Zaporeak, distributed by Margenes.
‘UNICORN WARS’
Admired at last year’s Cartoon Movie, Alberto Vázquez’s solo follow-up to “Birdboy: the Forgotten Children,” an animated feature picturing the was between unicorns and teddy bears continues the mythology stablished by his short “Unicorn Wars”. Backed by Panique! Autour de Minuit, Borderline Films, Angoulême studios, Spain’s Abano Producións, and Uniko.
‘THE WEIGHT’
First time director Tamara Lucarini delivers a portrait of her father Leonardo Lucarini, a Basque sculptor, and his work through the eyes of his family. Produces by Banatuk Films.
SA: Banatuk Films
‘WINDOW TO THE SEA’
Emma Suárez plays a middle aged woman who, after being diagnosed with cancer, takes a trip to Greece where she finds love that gives her courage to live on her own terms. Miguel Ángel Jiménez (“Chaika”) directs this co-production between his Kinoskopik, Gariza Films, Sumendia Filma AIE and Greece’s Heretic.
SA: Heretic Outreach