Seven short films selected for the Kimuak 2026 catalogue

After considering the 59 entries submitted to the 29th edition of the KIMUAK programme, the jury selected the following seven short films to be included in the Kimuak 2026 catalogue: ‘Aho beltza´ (Alba Lozano), ´Al otro lado´ (Pablo Esteo, June San Sebastián, Leyre Fernández, Antton Gorroño, Leire Martínez, Irune Aguirreazaldegui y Javier Martínez), ´Bitartean, gero´ (Raúl Barreras), ´Hemen gaude´ (Sébastien Boulard), ´High River´ (Daniel Alegrete), ´Joare Tte´ (Ekaitz Bertiz) y ´Los Divulgators´ (Pablo Hernando Esquisabel).

Aimed at promoting Basque films, KIMUAK is organised by the Etxepare Basque Institute and Zineuskadi. Starting today, this collection of Basque short films will be sent to some of the world’s most prestigious film festivals and audiovisual events.

This year´s evaluation and selection committee comprised three film professionals: Aranzazu Calleja, a composer with a distinguished career in film music; Sven Pötting, Programme Coordinator and Curator of the Dresden International Short Film Festival (Germany); and Pedro Toro, a producer and cultural manager specialising in cinema, comics and independent publishing.

The new catalogue includes fiction, documentary and animation. Three of the films are entirely in Basque, while another combines Basque and French. One has Spanish as its main language, and two contain no dialogue. Of the seven selected short films, four were made at the beginning of their creators’ careers, and two were directed by women.

These are the seven selected short films:

‘AHO BELTZA’

Alba Lozano (Barakaldo, 1996) sets her third short film in the town of Zumaia. The film is part of ‘Geuretik Sortuak’ an initiative run by Udalbiltza (consortium of municipalities of the Basque Country) aimed at promoting the creation, production and dissemination of cultural projects in Basque. The film was produced by Platanobolígrafo from Sondika and Monndo from Getxo.

At a wrap party for a film, Miren tries to find her place in the crew but grows increasingly isolated. In the middle of the night, she discovers that the legend of the secret tunnel connecting the village to the beaches might be much more than just a story. The cast is led by Uxue Derecho, alongside Arnatz Puertas, Sara Nieto, Sambou Diaby, Miguel Garcés and Itziar Manero.

‘AL OTRO LADO’

Pablo Esteo, June San Sebastián, Leyre Fernández, Antton Gorroño, Leire Martínez, Irune Aguirreazaldegui and Javier Martínez are the members of Piparrak, a multidisciplinary team specialising in direction and artistic creation. They are graduates of the DigiPen Institute of Technology Europe in Bilbao. In this animated comedy, they use humour as a tool to reflect on social issues such as individualism, digital addiction and isolation.

In the middle of nowhere, Rufi, an elderly woman who lives with a taxidermied dog and spends her days gambling online, has made indifference to the outside world her way of life. But her routine is disrupted by Bob, a hippie neighbour who has turned his motorhome into a private jungle. Amidst invasive plants, strange incense and fruit thrown with dubious intent, Rufi’s insular world begins to transform in a way that is as fascinating as it is unsettling.

‘BITARTEAN, GERO’

The second film by director Raúl Barreras (Karrantza, 1986) was also produced as part of the Geuretik Sortuak initiative. Shot in various locations across the Baztan Valley, the project is a co-production between the director himself and the San Sebastián-based production company Maluta Films.

In BITARTEAN, GERO (‘Meanwhile, later’), five researchers from the future arrive in a valley in the Basque Country to record gestures and emotions that no longer exist in their time. Through interviews and observations of daily life, they delve into the private lives of the local residents. Soon the framework underpinning their research unravels: the gap between eras narrows, fiction and reality blur, and the expedition drifts toward a disturbing realisation.

‘HEMEN GAUDE’

On the coast of the French Basque Country, Euskara is not always passed down from one generation to the next. Where words fade away, Basque identity finds other ways to endure: in gestures, in the relationship with the sea, in moments shared around the table. HEMEN GAUDE explores what remains when the language weakens, a sense of belonging that is also experienced beyond words.

This documentary, produced by Maison Adam in Donibane Lohizune (Saint-Jean-de-Luz), is directed by Sébastien Boulard. A filmmaker and director of photography, Boulard’s work is closely linked to maritime culture and the ocean. Although much of his career has been in advertising and branded content, he also pursues more personal and auteur-driven projects, such as the documentary ‘He’s Mine’ (2025).

‘HIGH RIVER’

HIGH RIVER is a work of fiction set in a gay club in Bilbao during the floods of August 1983. Torrential rain causes the estuary to burst its banks and plunges the city into chaos, but the “High” club keeps its doors open. Although power failures and instability outside intermittently disrupt its activities, some men continue to meet, sustained by this temporary refuge and haven of desire. Little by little, the boundary between inside and outside becomes blurred: water begins to seep in, puddles form and the constant sound of rain invades the club, revealing a reality that can no longer be kept at bay.

Daniel Alegrete (Madrid, 1993) is a filmmaker who trained at Film.Factory (Sarajevo), LAV and EQZE (Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola). He works across fiction and experimental film, exploring horror and queer themes through stories that explore memory, desire and identity. Since 2021 he has been living in Bilbao, where he founded the production company Lapislázuli Films.

‘JOARE TTE’

In a valley where cowbells ring out loudly in winter, Aiara dreams of becoming a joaldun. As carnival approaches and the other children get ready, her family tells her that before she can wear the cowbells, there are many things she must first understand.

Ekaitz Bertiz (Sunbilla, 2003) is a director and screenwriter from Navarra whose work explores the stories, memories and imagery of the Bidasoa Valley through an intimate, contemporary lens deeply rooted in the region. He was part of the directing team for ‘La bola negra’, a feature film directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. This is his second film in Kimuak, following the inclusion of ‘Erreka zoko hortan’ in last year’s catalogue.

‘LOS DIVULGATORS’

Julián Génisson stars in this entertaining dystopian film, which recently premiered at the D’A Festival in Barcelona. In the late 1980s, a socialist revolution abolished work, and since then the State has covered all the population’s needs. In return, citizens may be called upon to present a public service television programme.

The career of Alava-born filmmaker Pablo Hernando (Vitoria-Gasteiz, 1986) is steeped in independent and experimental cinema. After studying Audiovisual Communication at the University of the Basque Country (EHU), he has built up a body of work that includes short and feature films selected for numerous international festivals and recognised with awards, amongst them ‘El ruido solar’, which was included in the 2020 Kimuak catalogue. He has collaborated with Juan Cavestany and Julián Génisson on films such as the acclaimed ‘Esa sensación’. His latest feature film, ‘Una ballena’, premiered at the Sitges Film Festival in 2024.