Asier Urbieta presents 'Faisaien Irla', a border thriller on Pheasant Island at the Festival de Málaga
The Basque director's latest production, which was presented in the Official Section Out of Competition, explores the migratory tensions in this territory
'Faisaien Irla' (Pheasant Island), the first feature film by Asier Urbieta, was presented at the 28th edition of the Festival de Málaga. It is a border thriller starring Jone Laspiur and Sambou Diaby, who play a couple who become involved in the discovery of a corpse on this river island located in the middle of the Bidasoa River, on the border between Spain and France. The cast also includes Ibrahima Kone, Itziar Ituño and Jon Olivares.
The film had its world premiere at the prestigious Gothenburg Film Festival, Sweden's most important film event, and will be in Spanish cinemas from 25th April after its screening at the Festival de Málaga.
‘Faisaien Irla' marks Urbieta’s feature film directorial debut, having previously directed the series 'Altsasu' and the short films 'Pim Pam Pum' and 'False Flag'. On this occasion, the filmmaker co-wrote the script with Andoni de Carlos, winner of the Goya for Best Original Screenplay for 'Handia'.
During the presentation of the film, Urbieta explained how the idea for the film, whose title refers to the river islet near the mouth of the Bidasoa River, came about. This unique territory, whose sovereignty is shared between Spain and France, changes jurisdiction every six months. "One day, while browsing through the newspaper, I read that cyclists had heard the cries for help of two people trying to swim across the border. I put myself in their place and a question started to haunt me: What would I have done?” said the director, adding: "From these real events, I developed the story of the film".
Producer Sandra Tapia emphasised the film’s social denunciation: "Since Asier and Andoni told me about the project, it was clear to me that this was a great film. Not only because of the powerful premise and the emotional journey of the characters, but also because of the opportunity to make visible the emergency situation on the Bidasoa border". She also highlighted the capacity of cinema to move consciences and generate reflection in the audience.
Laspiur, who plays Laida, and who was present at the colloquium following the screening of the film, shared her impressions of the character: "I found it hard to empathise with her at times. I found it difficult to understand her coldness and emotional distance from the facts. But I was also fascinated by her idealism and her desire to fight injustice. Laida has certain privileges that allow her to act in a way that other characters cannot afford".
Ibrahima Kone expressed his gratitude for being able to take part in the project: "For me, it was an incredible opportunity. Working with Asier was a great pleasure. He is a director that gives the actors room to create, and that is fundamental for the development of the characters".
The filming of 'Faisaien Irla', an Arcadia Motion Pictures production in collaboration with La Tentación Producciones and Galatea Films, took place in natural surroundings in Irún, Hendaye and San Sebastián. With dialogues in the three predominant languages of the region - Basque, French and Spanish - the film will be released commercially on 25 April by BTeam Pictures.
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