Writer Mari Jose Barriola attending
In this meditative documentary, the profound relationship between the people of the Basque country of Spain and the forests that surround them is explored in rich, poetic detail. Director John Maia is himself a man of the region, who has a degree in the Basque language, and has spent his life creating poetry, music, and documentaries seeking to capture the area's fascinating idiosyncrasies. Here, he seeks out people who have lived among the forests of northern Spain, their relationship to and livelihood from wood, and weaves an almost fable-like story that includes history, personal experience, and even science in its fabric. In doing so, the Basque country becomes a magical place where people and trees, treated in this film like characters in and of themselves, come alive. Don’t miss this documentary from a filmmaker whose work rarely appears in this country in any format.
Director’s Biography
Jon Maia: Jon Maia is a bertsolari—an improviser of Basque verse, and singer, writer, filmmaker, translator and cultural agent whose passion is clearly focused on the Basque country of his birth. This area has inspired his three prior documentaries: Bidai Intimoak, Apaizac Obeto and Gazta Zati Bat.