Midwest!!

AITÄ, the new short film by Ibon Landa, on the opening day of the Weyauwega International Film Festival, Wisconsin.

The screening will take place on wednesday, Nov 11, at the historic Gerold Opera House in Weyauwega.

AITÄ is one of the most successful Spanish short films of the year on the international film festival circuit since its premiere at the Ibiza Film Festival, one of the many qualifying festivals for the Goya Awards where it has competed to date

Synopsis:

Beñat, a harrijasotzaile (traditional Basque stone lifter) and ex-convict, is still reeling from the recent death of his wife while trying to raise his daughter Malen alone.
Things get complicated when Sara, the girl’s grandmother, files for full custody to protect her from a father she believes to be violent. Caught between grief, guilt, and a desperate need for redemption, Beñat faces a past full of secrets, half-truths, and hidden crimes

Ibon Landa about AITÄ:

AITÄ was born from a desire to explore the weight of silence, trauma, and the hidden family secrets that shape who we are. Through the story of Beñat and his daughter Malen, we wanted to portray how guilt, loss, and the need for redemption can coexist within the same emotional space.
We were drawn to the way past wounds echo through generations — and how, even in the midst of pain, moments of love and connection can emerge. AITÄ delves into the complexity of family bonds, the tension between inherited loyalties and chosen ones, and the pursuit of truth as the only path toward reconciliation.
The Basque landscape, with its rough beauty and emotional restraint, became more than a setting — it mirrors the characters’ inner worlds. Every stone Beñat lifts represents the weight of memory: what we try to carry, and what we must finally let go.
Our goal was to create an intimate and emotionally charged film that reflects both the fragility and the strength of the human spirit. A story that invites the audience to face their own truths and to believe that, even in the darkest moments, there is always room for redemption.