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PRODUCTION Spain

Karra Elejalde soon to appear in La higuera de los bastardos

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- In this second film by Ana Murugarren, currently in post-production, the multi-talented Basque actor plays a phalanx soldier who goes on to become an influential man

Karra Elejalde soon to appear in La higuera de los bastardos
Karra Elejalde in La higuera de los bastardos

Karra Elejalde has played a wide variety of roles as of late: a monk in Que baje Dios y lo vea (see article), then a film producer in Operación Concha (see article), and now a soldier, first cruel and then mystical, in La higuera de los bastardos [+see also:
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, the second feature film by Ana Murugarren, which was filmed last summer with a cast also featuring Carlos Areces, Jordi Sanchez and Ramón Barea.

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After working as an editor (for Enrique Urbizu, most notably on Todo por la pasta and Tu novia está loca), the Navarrese director made her directorial debut in 2014 with Tres mentiras, a drama starring Nora Navas and Mikel Losada. In Murugarren’s words, "it’s a great joy for a director to have a good story and a fantastic team to work with. With La higuera de los bastardos, I had the good fortune of both: an excellent book by Ramillo Pinilla, both harsh and exuberant, and exceptional actors, in particular an astonishing Karra Elejalde, for whom the character of Rogelio was an opportunity to deliver a sublime performance, the likes of which we only see from time to timeʺ.

The screenplay, written by the director, centres around Rogelio, a soldier who is completely indifferent to death. The film’s action takes place during the Spanish Civil War, albeit in a place where war never broke out (and probably never will), a place where winners and losers co-exist side by side, and where enemies are eliminated without mercy. In this dark context, the sharp gaze of Gabino, a young 10-year-old boy, gives rise to an irrepressible obsessional fear in Rogelio. This is when drama gives way to dark comedy, a sad post-war period in which Francoism, religion, magic and historical memory very quickly merge into a story of universal appeal.

La higuera de los bastardos was produced by Blogmedia, The Fig Tree and AIE, with support from the ICAA, the Basque and Navarrese governments and the ETB. The film will be released at the end of the year.

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(Translated from Spanish)

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