Hosted by the Basque Educational Organization, a partner of the Basque Cultural Center.
The film’s director, Asier Altuna, will be at the Basque Cultural Center to present his film and do a Q&A following the screening. Altuna will also present KARMELE at other Basque clubs.
KARMELE is a story of sustainability, resilience, and dignity in the face of oppression—a journey woven through culture, music, and art.
Based on the real experiences of Karmele Urresti and Txomin Letamendi and inspired by the novel "Elkarrekin Esnatzeko Ordua" (Time to Wake Up Together) by Kirmen Uribe.
1937. Karmele and her family take refuge in France after being expelled from their home due to the war. There, Karmele is invited to take part in the Basque cultural embassy in exile, which seeks to fight the war through music and dance, and she meets Txomin, a professional trumpeter whom she falls in love with. After living for some time in Venezuela, the couple returns to their homeland to fight against the dictatorship, hoping to reclaim everything that was taken from them.
2025, directed by Asier Altuna, 114 minutes, color, in Euskara with English subtitles
About the director Asier Altuna
Asier Altuna, after the success of his first short film, Txotx (1997), co-directed with Telmo Esnal, went on to make several more short films, television series and commercials. In 2005, he joined forces with Esnal yet again to direct his first feature, Aupa Etxebeste!, with which he landed the Youth Award at the San Sebastian Festival and a Goya nomination for Best New Director. In 2008 he founded, with Marian Fernández, the production company Txintxua Films, with which he has produced several shorts and the documentary feature Bertsolari (2011), and the feature films Amama (2015), winner of the Irizar Award(Best Basque Film) and Agur Etxebeste! (2019 co-directed with Telmo Esnal). In 2018 he participated in the omnibus film Gure Oroitzapenak.
The following screenings have been confirmed with more to be added:
Monday, May 11th, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV - Time and Venue TBD
Tuesday, May 12th, Mendiko Euskaldun Cluba , Gardnerville, NV - Time and Venue TBD
Friday, May 15th, Basque Educational Organization, Basque Cultural Center, South San Francisco, CA - 7:30pm PT
Saturday, May 16th, Ontario, Oregon Basque Club, Ontario, OR - Time and Venue TBD
Tuesday, May 19th, Basque Museum & Cultural Center, Boise, ID, Time TBD
Thursday, May 21st, Chino Basque Club, Chino, CA, Time TBD
Friday, May 22nd, California State University Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA, The Doré Theatre - Doors 4:30pm - Screening at 5:00pm PT Free Admission
Sunday, May 31st, Seattle Euskal Etxea, Seattle, WA, Lowdown Ballroom, Time TBD
There will also be a screening in New York that is organized by the Basque Country Delegation in the United States and Canada:
Thursday, May 7th, New York University, New York, NY - Time and Venue TBD