email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

BERLINALE 2009 Panorama / Spain

Ander an unusual love story in the Basque country

by 

Love stories between forty-somethings are quite rare, and those set in rural communities are even rarer. Add the fact that in Ander [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, the story is predominantly told in Basque and the two protagonists are both men, and you’ve got a unique product. It plays in the Panorama section at the Berlinale.

In the Basque countryside, Ander (Josean Bengoetxea) lives a quiet life with his sister (Leire Ucha) and mother (Pilar Rodriguez). Things change with the arrival of the new farmhand José (Cristhian Esquivel, last seen in a small but important role in Steven Soderbergh’s Che [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
). José is Peruvian, but that is not the only thing that is different about this outsider.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

The film was initiated and produced by Berindu, a service of the Department of Social Affairs of the Basque Government that works with the local GLBT community. It was written and directed by Roberto Caston, the director of the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in Bilbao and the author of several shorts.

“The film was born out of necessity,” explains Caston. “GLBT films slowly start to be produced in Spain, but almost none of them make an approach with a clear social and inclusive perspective, and none of them take place outside an urban context. This can lead to the mistaken idea that the city is the natural habitat for those who have a different sexual orientation. There are no movies in Spain that portray this theme in rural communities, usually resistant to changes and often intimidated by diversity.”

Ander was produced by Berindu and co-produced by Caston’s production company Ilusión Optica and BitArt New Media, who handled post-production. International sales are handled by Latido.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy