Basque pelota, skin against stone

Basque pelota, skin against stone is a 2003 documentary directed by Julio Medem, which addresses the situation in the Basque Country and Navarra, focusing on the history of Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) and the Anti-Terrorist Liberation Groups (GAL), the situation of ETA prisoners and victims and threats of terrorism, as well as aspects of the language and history of the Basque Country and Navarra (with explanations over the seven territories of Euskal Herria), from the Carlist wars of the 19th century, through the bombing of Guernica in 1937, until the presentation of the Ibarretxe Plan in the 2000s.

Project

It is a project made for 5 supports: book, cinema, television series of 3 chapters (broadcast by TV3), website (through some videos to download), the Frontones and Pelotaris ) and DVD, although a short film was also made for the collective Hay motivo.

After viewing the provisional cut of the film, Mireia Lluch Bramón, daughter of Ernest Lluch (murdered by ETA), decided to produce the sound cut of the film with part of her father's inheritance. During the viewing, a scene of the demonstration against the murder of Ernest Lluch is seen, in which Gemma Nierga (director of La Ventana, a program in which the politician collaborated), and who was the person in charge of reading the joint manifesto, added the following: "I am convinced that Ernest, even with the person who killed him, would have tried to talk: you [addressing the politicians], who can, please talk". This request for dialogue caused surprise and disgust among part of the protesters and political representatives who rejected any negotiation and had agreed to a joint demonstration.

Content

The documentary mixes aerial images of the Basque Country, various moments of a Basque pelota game, scenes from various previous films on the subject it deals with, images from various media and interviews with various people related to this land.

In addition to the interviews recorded by Médem, the film includes fragments from films such as Edurne, Bilbao dressmaker (1924), El Mayorazgo de Basterretxe (1929), Around the World with Orson Welles (1955), Pelotari (1964), Operation Ogre (1980), Pelota i> (1984), Vacas (1992), Days Counted (1994), 40 ezetz (1999) and Yoyes (2000), as well as television reports. The first version released in theaters and on the DVD contained very impressive extracts from the pro-amnesty week of May 1977 that were later withdrawn in subsequent broadcasts (among other TVE) for not having the permission or copyright of the production company. movie owner.

Criticism

The director includes in the documentary various moments of a Basque ball game.

At the time of its premiere it was a highly controversial documentary in Spain. Due to some elements such as the fact that Arnaldo Otegi was interviewed, the Popular Party refused to allow any of its members to be part of the list of interviewees, although a member of the Unión del Pueblo Navarro (associated with the PP in Navarra) did take part. and the general secretary of Unidad Alavesa, a party that was then affiliated with the PP in various parliaments, as well as Alfredo Marco Tabar in the 7-hour edition of the DVD. As Gustavo de Arístegui explained in the Cadena SER program La Ventana, the reason for not participating is that although the film strongly criticizes ETA, in his opinion it does not criticize Basque nationalism.

Neither did any ETA prisoner want to take part, although an ex-prisoner did. Three of those threatened by ETA who participated in the documentary, Gotzone Mora, Iñaki Ezkerra and Antonio Elorza, disagreed with the final editing of the tape and asked for their interviews to be withdrawn. Médem responded that it was not possible to withdraw it before its theatrical release, but they did not appear in the videos on the web or in the 7-hour DVD montage.

On the day of its presentation at the San Sebastián festival, the Victims of Terrorism Association asked the mayor, Odón Elorza (participates in the feature film) to withdraw the film from the festival, although this was not produced.

During the 2004 Goya Awards Gala, the AVT demonstrated against the documentary by Julio Médem, which had been nominated, because according to them it equated victims with perpetrators; among the banners stood out those of No to Medem, and No to Basque Pelota: the neck against the bullet. With this they remembered the badges saying "No to war" (from Iraq) that some filmmakers had worn during the 17th edition of the Goya Awards.

For their part, the attendees closed ranks around their partner, and wore stickers such as Medem Yes. ETA No or No to Terrorism, Yes to Freedom of Expression. The documentary did not win the award. In any case, the votes had been decided a month ago, so the demonstration had no influence on the result.

Awards

• Nomination of a Goya Award in 2004. Goya Awards.

Participants

These are the people who participated in the documentary:

• Alberto Catalán. General Secretary of the Navarro People's Union (UPN).
• Daniel Múgica (political). Son of José Javier Múgica, UPN councilor in Leiza, killed by ETA in 2001.
• Pablo Mosquera. General Secretary of Unit Alavesa (UA).
• Felipe González. President of the Spanish Government from 1982 to 1996 with the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE).
• Juan Manuel Eguiagaray. Former PSOE Industry Minister.
• Gotzone Mora. Former member of the executive of the Euskadi Socialist Party (PSE-EE). Threatened by ETA.
• Txiki Benegas. Former President of the PSE-EE.
• Gregorio Peces-Barba. One of the drafters of the Spanish Constitution representing the PSOE. Former President of the Congress of Deputies.
• Patxi Lopez. General Secretary of the PSE-EE.
• Odon Elorza. Mayor of San Sebastian for the PSE-EE since 1991.
• Ana Urchueguía. Mayor of Lasarte, Guipúzcoa, for the PSE-EE. Threatened by ETA.
• Ramon Etxezarreta. Councilor of Culture in San Sebastian by the PSE-EE. Threatened by ETA.
• Eduardo Madina. General Secretary of the Socialist Youth of the Basque Country. Victim of an ETA attack that lost a leg.
• Maixabel Lasa. Viuda de Juan María Jáuregui (Civil Governor of Guipúzcoa for the PSE-EE killed by ETA). Director of Attention to the victims of the Basque Government.
• Javier Madrazo. General Coordinator of Ezker Batua-Berdeak.
• Xabier Arzalluz. Former president of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV).
• Carlos Garaikoetxea. Lehendakari (President of the Basque Government) from 1980 to 1985 with the former President of Eusko Alkartasuna (EA).
• José Antonio Ardanza. Lehendakari from 1985 to 1998 with the PNV.
• Juan José Ibarretxe. Lehendakari from 1998 to 2009 with the PNV.
• Joseba Arregui. Former Minister of Culture of the Basque Government by the PNV.
• José Ángel Cuerda. Exalcalde de Vitoria with PNV.
• Begoña Errazti. President of Eusko Alkartasuna (EA).
• Jean Grenet. Mayor of Bayona, the most important city in the French Basque Country (in French).
• Patxi Zabaleta. General Secretary of Aralar (left independentist condemning ETA attacks).
• Julen Madariaga. ETA co-founder. Member of Aralar.
• Txomin Ziluaga. Professor of Political Science and one of the founders of Herri Batasuna and HASI.
• Arnaldo Otegi. General Secretary of Batasuna (left independentist who does not condemn ETA attacks).
• Txema Montero. Lawyer and former militant of Herri Batasuna. Member of the Sabino Arana Foundation.
• Carmen Galdeano. Daughter of Xabier Galdeano, killed by the GAL in 1985. President of Exerat (legal organization calling for the rapprochement of Basque prisoners).
• Anika Gil. She reported having been tortured after spending five days in police custody by the Guardia Civil for alleged collaboration with ETA and finally released without charges (in Basque).
• Eva Suarez. President of Amnesty International in Spain.
• Teo Santos. Ertzaina of the ERNE union.
• Cristina Sagarzazu. Viuda de Ramón Doral, an ETA-killed herer in 1996.
• Hur Gorostiaga. Creator of the newspaper Le journal du Pays Basque (in Basque).
• Antoni Batista. Journalist, writer, music critic and editor The Vanguard.
• Iñaki Ezkerra. Journalist and writer. Threatened by ETA.
• Mariano Ferrer. Journalist.
• Antonio Alvarez Solís. Journalist.
• Iñaki Gabilondo. Journalist, former director and presenter of Hoy by Hoy (Cadena SER) and former news director of Cuatro TV.
• Javier Angulo. Journalist.
• Xabier Eguzkitze. Bertsolari, journalist and television presenter (in Basque).
• Javier Ortiz. Journalist in The World), essayist and editor.
• Jesus Altuna. Historian and anthropologist.
• Tomás Urzainqui. Historian and writer.
• John Paul Fusi. Historian.
• Jean Louis Davant. Writer, member of the Royal Basque Language Academy (in Basque).
• José María Satrustegi. Writer, humanist, ethnographer, member of the Royal Academy of Basque Language (in Basque).
• Jean Gratien Haritschelhar. President of the Royal Basque Language Academy (in Basque).
• Ander Manterola. Ethnographic researcher.
• Paco Etxeberria. Forensic doctor.
• Ramon Zallo. Doctor in Information Sciences.
• José María Garmendia. Professor of Contemporary History.
• Fernando Reinares. Professor of Political Science. Expert in "Terrorism Prevention Branch" of the United Nations.
• Antonio Elorza. Professor of Political Science and Writer. Threatened by ETA.
• Ramon Alzate. Psychosociologist.
• Imanol Zubero. Doctor in Sociology. Member of Gesto for Peace.
• José Ignacio Ruiz de Olabuenaga. Professor of Sociology and Political Science.
• Javier Elzo. Professor of Sociology. Threatened by ETA (in part of the interview your back escort appears).
• Ramon Saizarbitoria. Sociologist and writer in Basque.
• Bernardo Atxaga. Writer in Basque.
• Kirmen Uribe. Bachelor of Basque Philology, poet and writer in Basque.
• Javier Sádaba. Philosopher.
• Antxon Lafont. Former president of the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce and businessman.
• Txetxo Bengoetxea. Musical.
• Fermin Muguruza. Musician (in Basque)
• Sabino Ayestaran. Professor of Psychology and Franciscans.
• Iñaki Villota. Priest.
• Alec Reid. Redemptive Priest and Speaker of the Northern Ireland Peace Talks
• Harry Barnes. Former Director of the Carter Center for Conflict Resolution.
• Jonan Fernández. Founder of Elkarri (social movement for peace, dialogue and agreement in Euskal Herria).
• Several relatives of ETA prisoners on a trip to Huelva prison.

In the Special DVD Edition of La Pelota Vasca, La Pelota Contra la Piedra, as well as in the videos on the web, other participations are included:

• Alfredo Marco Tabar. Lawyer, member of the Popular Party (PP) and editor of the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country of 1979.
• Ernesto Ladrón de Guevara. Founder of the Ermua Forum and member of the Alavesa Unit.
• Emilio Guevara. Redactor of the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country.
• Francisco Letamendia. Professor of Political Science. Former political-military ETA.
• Mario Zubiaga. Professor of Political Science.
• Mertxe Aizpurua. Journalist and director of the newspaper Gara (in Basque).
• Alberto Surio. Journalist and political correspondent El Diario Vasco.
• Lola Valverde. Historian.
• Iñaki Egaña. Historian.
• José Antonio Azpiazu. Historian.
• Laura Mintegi. Historian, journalist and writer.
• Angel Rekalde. Writer and express.
• Nestor Basterretxea. Sculptor.
• Maite Aristegi. Attorney and member of the EHNE agrarian union.
• Ramon Múgica. Notary.
• Mikel Erentxun. Musical.
• Oier Gorosabel. Pacifist.
• Joseba Zulaika. Anthropologist and director of the Basque Studies Centre at the University of Nevada Library, Reno (interviewed on December 8, 2003, after the premiere of the film in the cinemas).