27/03/2025 - The historical survival thriller based on the book of the same name by Ramiro Pinilla stars Urko Olazabal, Itziar Ituño, Josean Bengoetxea, Patxi Bisquert and Carlos Santos

Director Igor Legarreta and actor Urko Olazabal on the set of Inurri itsuak (© Nicolás de Assas)

On 13 March, filming began on Inurri Itsuak (Las ciegas hormigas), the third feature film directed by Igor Legarreta (When You No Longer Love Me [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Ilargi Guztiak. [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Igor Legarreta
film profile] Todas las lunas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Igor Legarreta
film profile]), which will last until mid-May across locations in Bilbao, Elorrio, Galdakao, Getxo, Gorliz, Sagasta and Mundaka, combining natural landscapes with large sets.

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The historical survival thriller stars Urko Olazabal (winner of the Goya for Best Supporting Actor for Maixabel [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Icíar Bollaín
film profile]), Itziar Ituño (the series Money Heist, this year in Pheasant Island [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Josean Bengoetxea (the series Cristóbal Balenciaga [+see also:
series review
series profile], this year in Jone, Sometimes and Pheasant Island), Miren Gaztañaga (The Last Romantics [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Unax Hayden (20,000 Species of Bees [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Estíbaliz Urresola
film profile]) and Patxi Bisquert (recently in Irati [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), plus the special collaboration of Carlos Santos (Goya winner for Smoke & Mirrors [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alberto Rodríguez
film profile], recently in the mini-series 1992 [+see also:
trailer
series profile]), Dani Cabrera, Kimetz Etxabe, Markel Martínez, Anuk Puértolas and Elena Uriz.

Written in Basque by the director and Andoni de Carlos (Goya for Giant [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño
film profile]), it is based on the novel Las ciegas hormigas by Ramiro Pinilla (Premio Nadal literary prize 1961). It tells the story of how, in Bizkaia in 1935, a heavy storm caused an English ship to run aground, carrying tons of coal. During the night, the residents of the municipality of Algorta flock to the coast to salvage the ‘black gold’. Sabas Jauregui (played by Urko Olazabal) sees it as a stroke of luck, while his wife, Josefa (Itziar Ituño), sees it as a bad omen. Ignoring her pleas, Sabas their children into the raging storm. The family will go to unimaginable lengths to protect the coal that could either save them from winter or doom them forever.

Legarreta says, “ever since I read Ramiro Pinilla's novel, I have wanted to bring to the big screen this passionate story full of humanism, about resilience in the face of adversity and the eternal struggle for human survival. The film will be a tragic, rural western with great characters, a historical drama set against the backdrop of the current issue of energy poverty.”

Before his two aforementioned feature films, Legarreta directed several short films such as El trabajo (1999, Jury Prize at the Locarno and Montpellier film festivals) and El Gran Zambini (2005). He also co-wrote the feature film Autómata [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], among others. He recently directed six episodes of the series Operación Marea Negra.

Inurri Itsuak is a production by Bruja del Norte Films A.I.E, Lamia Producciones, LaZona Zinema, LaZona Producciones, Sideral Cinema and Buendía Estudios Bizkaia; in co-production with Caviar Films (Belgium). Iker Ganuza, Pablo Barinaga and Luis Ferrón are its executive producers. It also has the participation of EiTB and Atresmedia; with the collaboration of the Department of Culture and Linguistic Policy of the Basque Government, the Government of Navarre and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia; and financing from Elkargi, S.G.R. and Kutxabank. It will be released in Spanish cinemas with distribution by Buena Vista International.

(Translated from Spanish)