Las ciegas hormigas film screening in Bilbao

The film “Las ciegas hormigas”, directed by Igor Legarreta, was recently screened at the Azkuna Zentroa in Bilbao as part of a cycle featuring selections from the San Sebastián Film Festival. The film is an adaptation of the 1961 Nadal Prize-winning novel by Ramiro Pinilla.

Set in Vizcaya during the 1930s, the plot follows a group of locals attempting to scavenge tons of coal from an English ship that ran aground on the Algorta coast during a severe storm. The story depicts the struggle of characters like Sabas Jauregui to secure the coal for survival while evading the Carabineros.

Critical reception has been mixed. While the visual elements and the initial tension of the survival thriller are noted, some reviews suggest the film suffers from a disappointing resolution, a loss of intensity during key moments, and a rhythm that fails to fully deliver on its atmospheric promises.