The masters of the ‘ensemble shot’ who created the emergence of cinema in Basque | Cinema: premieres and reviews

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In this quarter of a century, his label has evolved. “At first, we wanted to support each other to carry out specific projects. Later, the roles have become more personalized and professional. We wanted to be a film producer from Donostia,” recalls Xabier Berzosa, from his offices in the capital of Gipuzkoa.

The evolution has been visible both technically – with increasingly “more ambitious” productions – and thematically, addressing “more risky” issues: from confrontations of fiction with reality or reflections on one’s relationships with the environment. “Before, it would have cost much more to finance certain projects,” Berzosa acknowledges.

The turning point in the Moriartis’ journey came with The flowers. The first film in Basque nominated for the Goya for best film and selected to represent Spain at the Oscars “broke expectations” for its creators. “It showed that cinema in Basque was not limited, that it could reach festivals and platforms.” From this milestone, the Basque film industry received a boost, although these fruits are shared, the Moriartis recall in conversation with EL PAÍS: “Filmmakers like Telmo Esnal or Asier Altuna have been producing and directing in Basque for years. The merit is widely shared.”

References in cinema in Basque

The emergence of contemporary Basque cinema also owes a lot to the short film program The shootspromoted in 1998 by the Basque Government. As a result of this initiative to promote small pieces abroad, a generation was forged in which Moriarti themselves stood out, but also other important names such as Borja Cobeaga, Diego San José, Luiso Berdejo or Nacho Vigalondo. In recent years, the role of Basque public television (ETB) has been added when it comes to financing and promoting audiovisual works.

“The role of the Moriarti as a reference is fundamental,” highlights José Luis Rebordinos. The current director of the San Sebastián International Film Festival (SSIFF) explains the keys to the “success” of the Gipuzkoan quintet since the Cannes competition. “The first is that they are good directors,” highlights the head of Zinemaldia, who has been in office for 14 years and will leave next year. “You may like them more or less, but they are well made since they choose the themes very well. They have a good quality standard,” he adds.

The second great success, says Rebordinos, is his way of shooting. “Together with Irusoin (the production company with which they collaborate closely and which is behind hits like Hello Etxebeste! (2005)) form a solid and very well-connected team.”

This is confirmed by actor Eneko Sagardoy, who played the giant of biga role for which he won the Goya for best new actor. “I remember the constant debates between the directors Aitor and Jon. At the time of filming, one of them came to me and told me: ‘The other one asked you for A, but now forget it and do B’. Far from being a confrontation, they had the ability to convey to you that all of this was part of what they both wanted,” says this actor in whom their advice still “resonates.”

The Morartis themselves identify this way of working: “In filming, normally one of us takes the lead with the actors, but if there is another vision, another can propose a new take with a different approach. In fact, it is not unusual for someone in editing to defend the opposite of what they defended in filming. It is a natural part of the process.” In this way, they ensure that their works “have their own voice”, beyond the sum of their names. “He shows basically incredible humility,” adds Sagardoy.

That humility, precisely, is the third of the pillars that Rebordinos highlights: “It is not easy to find humility in other directors. Many young Spanish directors can be very good, but they have a lot of arrogance. And these, with several international competitions behind them, continue to be humble. The whole thing makes their work important and very well received.”

Detailed style

What most defines them as directors and producers is their ability to observe. “They are more than detail-oriented, surgical,” details Sagardoy. “They always look for the transcendent and the profound. That’s why they are very good at giving opportunities to all fictional characters and avoiding superficial judgments. When I finished filming, I went home very comfortable.”

The fourth key touches on your style. “His style is committed to classic and narrative cinema, with solid scripts and traditional structures: beginning, middle and end. It is emotional, warm cinema, which seeks to touch the viewer more than impress critics and win awards,” summarizes Rebordinos.

“big It changed my life. Today, I live off that movie and people remind me of it almost a decade later. I couldn’t feel more proud,” says the actor from Durango. “I think they are a great reference for many generations of Basque filmmakers and other parts of Spain,” says Sagardoy. In the case of Euskadi, their value increases for Rebordinos: “For a small film industry like ours, it is important to have references and for new generations to know that they can succeed locally.”

The name of the Moriartis already appears in the dossiers of a new generation that is being developed in the contemporary culture center of San Sebastián Tabakalera, which houses the offices of Zinemaldia, the Basque Film Archive and the Etxepare Institute. This project residency, together with the film school, will ensure that Basque cinema continues to evolve, increase the presence of women and look much more outward. “This microcosm language It will be something to talk about in the coming years,” Rebordinos predicts.