| Black is Beltza | |
| Director: | Fermín Muguruza |
| Screenplay: | Fermín Muguruza Harkaitz Cano Eduard Sola |
| Music: | Fermín Muguruza Raül Refree[1] |
| Cinematography: | Beñat Beitia |
| Editing: | Dani Azpitarte |
| Studio: | Setmàgic Audiovisual Talka Records and Films |
| Runtime: | 88 minutes[2] |
| Country: | Spain |
| Language: | Spanish |
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.[3] [4] 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.[5] The film was released in Spain on 5 October 2018, and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Gaudí Awards.
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]
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 | [7] | |
| Gaudí Awards | 27 January 2019 | Best Animated Feature | Fermín Muguruza | [8] | |
| Quirino Awards | 6 April 2019 | Best Sound Design and Original Music | Fermín Muguruza and Raül Refree | [9] | |
A sequel, titled is set to be released in 2022.[10] It will follow Ainhoa, the daughter of Manex, who has inherited his social commitment and taste for adventure.[11]