November is a very busy month on the international film festival circuit for AITÄ, the new short film by Ibon Landa. It will compete at film festivals in Europe, Africa and the Americas.
- Zagora International Film Festival, Morocco
- Tiempo Sur Film Festival, Spain (Goya Awards Qualifying Festival)
- Weyauwega International Film Festival, USA
- Planos Film Festival, Portugal
- The Santa Clarita International Film Festival, USA
AITÄ premiered at the Ibiza International Independent Film Festival and has since been selected for film festivals around the world.
A week ago, it won an award at the prestigious FILMETS in Badalona, one of the many qualifying festivals for the Goya Awards in which it has taken part.
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.
Noah Sánchez and Iñigo Aranbarri give outstanding performances in their leading roles, and Maite Astiz’s cinematography is a delight.
AITÄ is one of the most successful Spanish short films of the year on the international film festival circuit and is already starting to receive invitations to compete at festivals next year.
Stay tuned, as we’ll be announcing further successes for this magnificent Spanish short film very soon.
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