The Basque Nation On-Screen

Films may be thought of not only as witnesses to historical processes but also as models in their own right that exercise an influence on society, changing the way it sees itself. It is in this way that such representations help forge collective memory. In those places where there are national conflicts, the cinema plays an important role in shaping dichotomous identities. The Basque Country is an interesting case study in terms of exploring the complex relationships among films, society, nationalism, and political violence, which Santiago de Pablo analyzes in this work, the second in the William A. Douglass Distinguished Scholar Series. The purpose of this book is to examine the historical relationship between films and Basque nationalism from a twofold perspective: the use of cinematic productions by Basque nationalism as a means of inculcating national identity and ideology, and the depiction of Basque nationalism--and especially of ETA terrorism--in films. Cinema provides new analytical perspectives of the history of Basque nationalism and has contributed to the strengthening of Basque national identity, to shaping its collective store of ideas, and to fostering a historical memory of an unmistakably nationalist stripe that is in constant dialogue with--and at times opposed to--other views and national identities that coexist in today's pluralistic Basque Country.