“"Part of the short film takes place in a croquette competition, so we propose organizing a real competition open to the residents of the municipality. This initiative would allow us to recreate the necessary atmosphere without resorting to external extras, also promoting neighborhood participation in a cultural activity, allowing us to record some shots during the development of the competition."
Artziniega Transforms into Film Set for "La croqueta" Short Film
Artziniega's Goikoplaza will once again become a cinematic backdrop this Saturday for the filming of a new Bechamel Films project.
By Nerea Goikoetxea Arana
••2 min read
IA
Generic image: Golden croquettes on a wooden plate, with a blurred background of a Basque village square.
The Goikoplaza area in Artziniega will once again be transformed into a film set this coming Saturday, April 18, for the shooting of scenes from the short film "La croqueta", a project by the production company Bechamel Films.
Bechamel Films, spearheaded by local resident Ibai Campo Olano, has invited community members to participate as extras in a more engaging way. Since a portion of the short film takes place during a croquette competition, the team has proposed organizing a real competition open to the municipality's residents.
The Artziniega City Council has become involved in the project, encouraging the public to register via email at bechamelfilms@gmail.com. Additionally, it has announced that for the duration of the filming, Goikoplaza must be clear of vehicles between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Saturday. During the event, a scene depicting an award presentation to the protagonist will be filmed, followed by the actual award ceremony for the winner of the competition.
This is not the first time cinema has focused its lens on the town of Artziniega. It all began in 2010 with Patria, directed by Russian filmmaker Algis Arlauskas. This was followed in 2015 by Gernika, by Koldo Serra, and in 2019, by La pequeña Suiza from Laudio native Kepa Sojo. In the same year, the independent feature film Las noches que mirábamos al cielo by local director David Gamboa took over. In 2021, the short film Camila Hunck by Antonio Pérez found ideal interiors in the local ethnographic museum. The latest chapter, for now, is 8 by Julio Medem, which also chose Artziniega's medieval old town for filming in 2024. The municipality has also served as a setting for numerous television programs and reports, as well as for music video recordings, such as the song "Zer ote da?" from the folk group Kuttune's second album, where the surroundings of Goikoplaza played a special role.



