The representation of Herri Batasuna in 1980s Basque cinema. Patterns for astereotype

Abstract

Basque Cinema has often dealt with political violence. Despite being true that most of the films have not achieved as much recognition and success as films from other countries (e. g. Ireland) recent figures show us that since Franco´s death, more than fifty films relating to the Basque conflict have been made. Most stories have ETA members, police officers or ETA victims as their protagonists. Local politicians however are usually supporting characters just there to move the plot forward. In this paper, we will analyse how Herri Batasuna (People's Unity) members are characterised in five films produced in the Basque Country during the 1980s. Our hypothesis is that during the social shift from romanticism to intolerance, when dealing with the 'patriotic left', Herri Batasuna has been portrayed as a negative element in these films, even more negative than ETA itself.