15/04/2025 - Actress Andrea Ros steps into the shoes of the Olympic champion in the new film by the director of Advantages of Travelling by Train and Flies

Karateka Sandra Sánchez, actress Andrea Ros, director Aritz Moreno, actor Patrick Criado and coach Jesús del Moral (© Lander Larrañaga)

Basque filmmaker Aritz Moreno takes a surprising turn in his career. After exploring suspense in his previous feature films, Advantages of Travelling by Train [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] and Flies [+see also:
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interview: Aritz Moreno
film profile], he is now shooting Karateka between Madrid and Japan, based on the true story of the Spanish karateka Sandra Sánchez. The film shows her journey from humble beginnings in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo) to winning gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Andrea Ros (who has recently appeared in the series Segunda muerte and Zorras, directed by the Basque filmmaker, and who had featured in films such as [REC]² [+see also:
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trailer
making of
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The film will depict how Sandra, guided by her coach and life partner Jesús, achieved Olympic gold at the age of 39—redefining the meaning of perseverance in a sport typically dominated by the Japanese and where most athletes retire by the age of 30.

Director Aritz Moreno says that “I never thought I’d take on a biopic, until I heard about Sandra. In that moment, I felt compelled to share her epic story with as many people as possible. Karateka is an ambitious film, both in scale and on a technical level, with an epic narrative typical of a sports and adventure manga.”

Andrea Ros adds, “I began preparing for this film in October 2023. I knew it would be tough, but it turned out to be a transformative experience. At times, it felt like hell, with aching muscles, a lot of frustration... but being able to discover Sandra's world gave me the tools to tell her story of overcoming adversity, but also of love, commitment, discipline and determination.”

Finally, Patrick Criado says “I’m happy and grateful. Training with Sandra and Jesús has been a privilege, as they are part of karate history. You notice it when you talk to them and try to understand what karate means to them. They’re demanding and that's a good thing because it's so important to them that the karate looks good. In a film that tells the story of Sandra, it has to be that way. I love stories of overcoming adversity, of not giving up and pushing forward despite the obstacles.”

Karateka is produced by Jaime Ortiz de Artiñano for Atresmedia Cine, Leire Apellaniz for Sr&Sra Producciones, Karateka A.I.E, Apaches Entertainment and Colosé Producciones, along with Benoit Roland for the Belgian company Wrong Men. It has the participation of Atresmedia and Netflix, in collaboration with Madrid City Council, supported by Creative Europe MEDIA and Wallimages and with funding from the ICAA. It will be distributed in Spain by Warner Bros. Pictures.

(Translated from Spanish)