Black Is Beltza

Black is Beltza
Theatrical release poster
Directed byFermín Muguruza
Screenplay byFermín Muguruza
Harkaitz Cano
Eduard Sola
CinematographyBeñat Beitia
Edited byDani Azpitarte
Music byFermín Muguruza
Raül Refree[1]
Production
companies
Setmàgic Audiovisual
Talka Records and Films
Release date
  • 5 October 2018 (2018-10-05)[2]
Running time
88 minutes[3]
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish[3]

Black is Beltza is a 2018 adult animated drama film directed by Fermín Muguruza (in his directorial debut) from a screenplay by Muguruza, Harkaitz Cano and Eduard Sola, based on the graphic novel of the same name by Muguruza, Cano and Jorge Alderet.[2][4][5][6] A co-production by Setmàgic Audiovisual and Talka Records and Films, the soundtrack was composed by Muguruza, a Basque rock musician, and Raül Refree, a Spanish record producer.[7] The film was released in Spain on 5 October 2018, and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Gaudí Awards.[8]

Premise

In October 1965, a group of processional giants, inspired by parades in Pamplona, is invited to march down New York’s 5th Avenue on Hispanic Day. But the racial discrimination policies, two black giants are not allowed in the parade. Debarring from this true-event, which happened a few months after Malcolm X’s death the story turns on Manex, a young Basque who travels to New York to walk inside one of the carnival giants.

Manex will be an inadvertent witness to some of the most remarkable events and actors from the last decades: Racial riots, the Black Panthers, the Cuban Revolution, Cold War spy games, which all make for a colourful portrait of the ’60s counterculture era. [6]

Accolades

Released in Spain on 5 October 2018, Black is Beltza was nominated for two accolades:

Award Date Category Recipient(s) Result Ref
Emile Awards 8 December 2018 Best Soundtrack in a Feature Film Fermín Muguruza and Raül Refree Nominated [9]
Gaudí Awards 27 January 2019 Best Animated Feature Fermín Muguruza Nominated [8]
Quirino Awards 6 April 2019 Best Sound Design and Original Music Fermín Muguruza and Raül Refree Won [10]

Sequel

A sequel, titled Black Is Beltza II: Ainhoa was released in 2022.[11] It follows Ainhoa, the daughter of Manex, who had inherited his social commitment and taste for adventure.[12]

References

  1. ^ Black is Beltza Archived 2021-11-16 at the Wayback Machine at Soundtrack.net. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Black is Beltza Archived 2021-11-16 at the Wayback Machine at Cineuropa – the best of European cinema. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b Black is Beltza Archived 2024-02-13 at archive.today at the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  4. ^ Película Black is Beltza - crítica Black is Beltza Archived 2021-11-16 at the Wayback Machine, 4 October 2018. (in Basque). Fotogramas. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  5. ^ Fermin Muguruza y Refree firman la BSO de "Black Is Beltza" Archived 2021-11-16 at the Wayback Machine, 18 September 2018. (in Spanish). Mondo Sonoro. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  6. ^ a b Mayorga, Emilio (22 September 2016) San Sebastian: Fermin Muguruza Preps Singular Animation Debut ‘Black Is Beltza’ (EXCLUSIVE) Archived 2021-11-16 at the Wayback Machine. Variety. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  7. ^ Mayorga, Emilio (24 September 2017) San Sebastián: Film Factory Entertainment Acquires 'Black is Beltza' (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  8. ^ a b Black Is Beltza Archived 2021-11-16 at the Wayback Machine. (in Catalan). Gaudí Awards. Catalan Film Academy. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  9. ^ AWN Staff Editor (9 November 2018) Nominees Announced for 2018 Emile Awards Archived 2021-11-16 at the Wayback Machine. Animation World Magazine. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  10. ^ Jiménez, Jesús (19 February 2019). "'Un día más con vida' y 'Buñuel en el laberinto de las tortugas' finalistas a los II Premios Quirino de animación". RTVE (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  11. ^ Moyano, Alberto (11 December 2020) 'Black is Beltza' tendrá segunda parte Archived 2022-09-04 at the Wayback Machine. (in Spanish). El Diario Vasco. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  12. ^ Lang, Jamie; Sandoval, Pablo (21 September 2021) Basque Production Booms: 20 Exciting Upcoming Titles from the Spanish Region. Variety. Retrieved 16 November 2021.