A short semi-fictional story.
In "The Real Gernika" Begonya is visiting with her husband, and new born, her family in Gernika, and while at the cemetary visiting her grandfather's grave, meets an American approaching the same tomb to pay his respects. John was in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, fighting on the side of the Republicans, against Fascism and Franco, as part of the American Lincoln Brigades volunteers. John and his comrade, Satur, fought side by side when they were young, strong and ideological during the lates thirties, early forties. These comrades remained friends to the end.
Begonya, and John hit it off, and the two are intrigued with the other.While they walk the town, visiting all the symbolic places, they talk about her grandfather. Begonya invites John to lunch to her family's farm house, a two hundred year-old caserio. Together they take the train to another town secluded in an area up in the Pyrenees mountains. Over lunch the family sits around the table with John and together exchange an animated conversation with topics ranging from the personal to the local to the universal and reflecting a little of who each one represents at this time in history.
Written, directed and performed by Begonya Plaza
Director of Photography: Aitor Mantxola
Starring: John Randolph, Kontxi Orbegozo, The Orbegozo Family, Xano Armenter, Caterina Armenter and Begonya Plaza
With archival footage of the Spanish Civil War bombings, courtesy of Basque Government.
GERNIKA LIVES
A documentary about the bombing of Gernika
Filmed on the 50th Anniversary of the bombing, in honor of my father.
In my early twenties I set aside my acting career to dedicate myself to a part of me. Maybe I needed to prove to my father something; compassion, recognition, gratitude, but mostly I wanted to learn some truths about what had happened, and why my father from age five was subjected to such extreme suffering.
The many voices, including my father's, taught me about that time period, and the quality of people inhabiting those mountainous lands in northern Spain, when my dad's life derailed into a battle to survive. To rebuild Gernika and Euskadi, everybody collaborated with hands, and feet. My father was barely six by the time he arrived to a demolished Gernika, motherless, and hungry. He remembers cleaning up the rubble, the scratch metal, and the pulverized materials, that his family used to patch up a shack by the river's edge.
Violence is a horrid, and unforgiveable act that produces trauma, and all kinds of ills, and yet what beautiful spirits also rise from its ashes.
How I love that I made this film, and that my life was enriched by it, and all the valiant humans I met, who so generously shared their stories of innocence, and horrific shock, while preserving infalible hope, and pride. I honor my family for suffering such enormous losses, and my grandparents whom I never met, but acknowledge and carry them in me. Through my father, his siblings and all his people who tenaciously fought to keep their culture, values and sensibilities alive, confronting the gruesomeness of greed, a profound meaning of invincibility lives on forever.
50th Anniversary of the Bombing of Gernika-Lumo (April 26, 1987 )
During dictator Francisco Franco's years, the survivors were forced into silence, until films like mine gave them a chance to express their side of the story.
Gernika Lives explains how bombs were unleashed on an innocent, and unsuspecting population on a Monday morning (market Day in Gernika), when all the surrounding towns and villages come to sell their produce and product from the sea, the land, and hand made crafts.
It was one of the first aerial bombings, after Harar in Ethiopia, Madrid, Durango, Barcelona, and Valencia, and before Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Dresden. The town of Gernika is the heart and soul of Euskal Herria (the Basque country in Northern Spain, and Southern France). It is where the historic parliament was established in 1366, and where under an oak tree all the territories of Euskal Herria assembled and created a democratic rule for a united people. Fascists targeted this area, and between Franco, Hitler and Mussolini became one more victim of their war of aggression. My film attempts to explain the reasons through asking many questions.
Personally, my experience as a 7 year old sitting on my daddy’s lap, and listening very attentively to his tragic stories, and seeing his eyes well-up with tears that streamed down his cheeks, impacted me more than I could imagine. So at 19, when the opportunity arose, though innexperienced in filmmaking except for my observations as an actor on sets, conversations with my filmmaker boyfriend, and discussions with other filmmaker friends, I ceased the moment and embarked on a wonderful creative journey; raising the funds, finding the backing, creating the story, researching the characters, and embracing all the information I could gather. For a year I submerged into making this film a reality, and learn so much through every aspect of the filmmaking process. For a month I sat at the editing bay with my expert friend, Emmy winning editor and learned from him to edit, and tell the story through visuals and sounds.
Basques are the indigenous people of Europe, it is said. They are the indiginous, auchthoctonous people of their fertile lands, mountains and waters, with their own language, government, and monetary system. They are rugged, industrious and straight forward. Loyalty is their badge of honor, and their word is gold.
Basques were prohibited from speaking their own language, and forbidden to blame their assailants until the death of Francisco Franco. Now, the basque language is back, and sovereignty is regained, to a certain point. But now, Basque embrace all who come with good intent, and because of their own experiences in their struggles for liberatin, are empathetic people.
After making this film, when I returned to the States, and was looking for distribution, I realized that nobody in Hollywood knew about Gernika nor cared to know. Or, perhaps were not interested in bringing attention to this obscure but important subject. Fortunately I returned to a busy acting schedule and creativity replaced the business aspect I resist so much. The take away is always the experience, the process, the people involved, and the lessons learned that mold me into what I am today. PEACE & LOVE. Enough with war.
Written, directed, narrated, produced, and co-edited by Begonya Plaza
A co-production with K2000 in Bizkaia
Edited with Jack Tucker (Emmy winning editor)
Music by Xeberri and other distinguished Basque musicians (included in the film credits).
Film introduced by John Randolph (actor / activist, victim of McCarthyism)
Featuring: Basque artist/author Luis Iriondo, and historian, author Mario de Salegi
Dedicated to my father: Jesus Plaza
In Spanish, and Euskera with English Voice-Over & subtitles. 39".
Redirect to Gernika Lives page:
GUERNICA by Pablo Picasso
Reviews
Dear BegonyaThank you so much for the films which had arrived when I got back yesterday evening and watched. I loved them- such a personal journey for you. I especially liked Guernika Lives with its original footage and wonderful music to accompany it- very inspiring. I was even more horrified by the event and so touched by the courage and strength of the Basques- and the people who were interviewed. It must have been very emotional for your father. I so applaud their strength in holding on to their cultural and unique identity.On Saturday I will be sitting in the restaurant you recommended, thinking of the events, and will raise a glass to you and yours.Thank you again,Lesley - MiriamEngland, february, 2013
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