The short film AITÄ, directed by Ibon Landa, received a stunning reception at the 21st Arnedo Film Festival / Octubre Corto.
This is yet another qualifying festival for the Goya Awards in which this Spanish production is competing.
The screening took place at the impressive Cervantes Theatre in Arnedo, La Rioja.
AITÄ had its world premiere at the Ibiza Cinefest/ Festival International de Cinema Independent d’Eivissa, the first of many qualifying festivals for the Goya Awards in which it has competed.
Since then, it has been screened at film festivals all over the world.
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.
AITÄ stars Iñigo Aranbarri and Noah Casas.
And Maite Astiz’s cinematography is simply marvellous.
Stay tuned, as we’ll be announcing further successes for our films very soon.
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