17 basque productions at FCEN Nantes

La Fenêtre Basque (Basque Window), the section of the Festival du Cinéma Espangol de Nantes (FCEN) dedicated to Basque cinema, is now in its 24th year and has become one of the most important showcases of Basque cinema outside the Basque Country. Promoted by the Etxepare Basque Institute with support from the Basque Film Archive, this section offers a carefully selected line-up of the most outstanding Basque productions of the year, as well as works by leading Basque filmmakers.

Basque cinema will have a significant presence at this year´s FCEN, running from 21 to 29 March, with 17 productions. Fenêtre Basque will present nine films and seven short films from the Kimuak 2024 collection, some of which will also be shown in other sections of the festival.

Two Basque productions will compete for the main awards in the Official Selection: ‘Marco’ by Jon Garaño and Aitor Arregi, winner of several awards at the Venice Film Festival, and ‘Azken Erromantikoak’ (‘The Last Romantics’) by David Pérez Sañudo, which will be screened in its original version in Basque.

Two other Basque films will compete for Best Documentary. Raúl de la Fuente’s ‘Los Williams’, is the story of two brothers who are footballers for Bilbao’s Athletic Club. ‘Chaplin, espíritu gitano’ by Carmen Chaplin explores the legendary filmmaker´s connection to Romani culture.

Fenêtre Basque 2025

The Fenêtre Basque section will include a total of nine feature films. Added to the four mentioned above is the documentary ‘Erreplika’, directed by Pello Gutierrez. The film explores the author’s personal memory through a lack of images. ‘Tratamos demasiado bien a las mujeres’ is a bold undertaking by Clara Bilbao, flipping historical films on their heads and playfully blending them with other genres. Paul Urkijo’s film ‘Irati’, the highest-grossing production in the history of Basque cinema, takes us into the world of Basque mythology. Also at Nantes is a name synonymous with the history of Basque cinema, a true universal classic: ‘Tasio’, the celebrated film by Montxo Armendáriz. The remastered version by the Basque Film Archive was screened at the most recent Cannes Film Festival and San Sebastián Film Festival and is now enjoying a renewed momentum. Finally, this year´s FCEN will conclude with ‘Los aitas’ by Borja Cobeaga, a film that is part of the official selection at the Málaga Film Festival.

In addition, as in previous years, some of the short films included in the 2024 Kimuak catalogue prodcued by the Etxepare Basque Institute, will be shown as part of Fenêtre Basque: ‘Etorriko da’ by Izibene Oñederra; ‘Todo lo cubre la sal’ by Joana Moya; ‘Exergo’ by Jorge Moneo; ‘Dinosaurios’ by Koldo Almandoz; ‘Utländsk´ by Alba Lozano; ‘Errotatiba’ by Iratxe Fresneda and ‘Patrimonio’ by Aitor Abio.

Highlighting the strong presence of Basque audiovisual productions this year, the FCEN will screen ‘Querer’ by Alauda Ruiz de Azua in its section dedicated to first-time screenings in France.

In addition, to complement this diverse and wide-ranging showcase of Basque cinema, several guests will be visiting Nantes in the coming days, including David Pérez Sañudo, Jon Garaño, Clara Bilbao, Pello Gutierrez and Montxo Armendariz.

Launch of the book ‘Basque. Zinema’

 ‘Basque’ is a book series initiated and published by the Etxepare Basque Institute, consisting of twelve volumes covering a variety of artistic disciplines and cultural expressions. The collection aims to raise awareness of the Basque language, culture and contemporary Basque creativity, and is available online in Basque, Spanish, English and French at etxepare.eus.

During the FCEN, the updated edition of ‘Basque. Zinema’ will be presented. This is the updated version of the book that was first published in 2012. Originally published in 2012, the book has once again been written by Joxean Fernández, director of the Basque Film Archive, highlights the most significant events and productions from recent years.

The book will be presented by Irene Larraza, Etxepare Basque Institute Director, and the author, Joxean Fernández.

About FCEN

The Festival du Cinéma Espagnol de Nantes (FCEN, Nantes Spanish Film Festival) was created in 1990 to promote Spanish-made films in France. In addition to screenings, the festival hosts include roundtables, art exhibits, concerts, and other activities. Every year, the event attracts over 27,000 spectators, as well as critics and industry professionals.

Nantes is one of the European cities that has most actively supported and showcased Basque cinema. The Fenêtre Basque section is celebrating its 24th anniversary this year, marking over two decades during which many prominent figures in Basque cinema have come to Nantes to present their work and engage with audiences.