Basque Docs Scene Spotlight: A Look at ‘Los Williams’

As a seasoned movie critic with a penchant for uncovering the hidden gems of global cinema, I must say that “Los Williams” is a documentary not to be missed. Having had the privilege of witnessing the rise and fall of various cinematic movements, I can confidently assert that Basque cinema is undeniably on an upward trajectory.

This July, José Luis Rebordinos, head of the San Sebastián Film Festival, emphasized the increasing importance of documentaries in this year’s festival. Some standout examples he mentioned were Albert Serra’s “Afternoons of Solitude,” and the opening film for New Directors, “The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés,” which is Antón Álvarez’s first directorial work. Álvarez is more recognized as a singer-songwriter under the name C. Tangana up until now.

Auteur genre films have been prevalent for a while now, but they’re becoming more common, and non-fiction films are becoming the norm, according to Rebordinos. These choices underscore Spain’s growing influence in the documentary world. The Basque cinema scene is keeping pace.

An illustrative case is “Los Williams,” who graced the festival riding high on the fame of its personalities, soccer sensation twins Iñaki and Nico Williams. Amaia Remírez, a producer at Kanaki Films, revealed to EbMaster that director Raúl de la Fuente was inspired to make this film after witnessing the strong impact these two Black athletes had on his young son, aged nine.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I can confidently assert that the cinematic landscape is thriving and expanding globally. Each year, I witness an increasing number of daring productions gracing our screens, with their creators’ visions becoming more diverse and far-reaching. Speaking from my experience at En Cero Coma, Fremantle’s Spanish documentary label, we are proud to be part of this dynamic and ever-evolving scene.

Rosaura Romero, another member of En Cero Coma, stated that local Basque producers are recognizing more and more the global potential of their unique tales. Since its inception in 2021, En Cero Coma has been adhering to Fernando Jerez’s advice, which encouraged them to nurture talent, unearth fresh creators, and delve into innovative viewpoints.

In the realm of documentary filmmaking, patience is particularly crucial since stories unfold authentically and spontaneously. Iñaki and Nico Williams played significant roles in Athletic Bilbao’s Copa Del Rey victory, and Nico even stood out more prominently at the Euros, showcasing his potential as one of the world’s brightest young talents.

Although the size of these projects has grown, their fundamental topics continue to align. As Amaia Remirez pointed out, “The motivation for this film is his [the director’s] desire to keep discussing the themes he’s been addressing throughout his career, such as integration and international human rights, but with a particularly potent megaphone – that of soccer.

Identifying the specific factors contributing to the documentary success of the Basque Country can be tricky, but Xabi Berzosa from Irusoin proposes that areas with profound historical foundations often offer ideal conditions for documentary production to flourish. “You see that the Basque Country is quite active in producing documentaries, and this activity seems to stem from the allure of places that are politically robust – they always seem eager to produce documentaries and share their perspective,” he said.

John Hopewell contributed to this article.

2024-09-24 08:17

Basque Docs Scene Spotlight: A Look at ‘Los Williams’

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