‘The Blind Ants’ premiered on Sept. 18 at the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival as part of the Zinemira section, which focuses on Basque cinema. The film is competing for the Irizar Award for Basque Cinema and is scheduled for theatrical release in Spain on Oct. 9 through Buena Vista International Spain.
Directed by Igor Legarreta, the film adapts Ramiro Pinilla’s acclaimed novel and is set in 1930s Biscay. The narrative centers on an English vessel carrying valuable coal that becomes stranded during a severe storm on the Basque coast. Local residents of Algorta attempt to salvage cargo to survive the coming winter, with the Jauregui family deciding to undertake dangerous rescue efforts that ultimately produce lasting consequences.
The production brings together multiple Basque production companies including Lamia Producciones, Lazona Zinema, and Buendía Estudios Bizkaia, alongside Belgian co-producer Caviar Antwerp. The cast features Urko Olazábal, Itziar Ituño, Josean Bengoetxea, Miren Gaztañaga, and Carlos Santos. Legarreta described the project as a coastal Western shot entirely in Bizkaia, emphasizing the preservation of the region’s atmospheric coastal setting.
In interviews, Legarreta noted that adapting the novel required balancing fidelity to the source material while translating its literary qualities to cinema. He highlighted the technical challenges of filming a major storm sequence on a cliff, requiring construction of an extensive set to ensure safety and creative control. The director emphasized the ensemble cast’s success in conveying the familial bonds central to the story of the Jauregui family’s struggle to maintain dignity amid adversity.
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