Txintxua Films, the Basque production company behind Netflix hit series “Intimacy,” has joined forces with Mexican filmmaker Ernesto Martínez Bucio on his second feature project. The company boards “This Is the Memory I Would Like to Have of Mom” (“Éste es el recuerdo que me gustaría tener de mamá”), a Spain-Mexico co-production developed in partnership with Mexican outfit Colectivo Colmena. The project secured a coveted spot among 15 titles selected for San Sebastián’s upcoming Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum, marking its first major international industry debut.

Martínez Bucio arrives with momentum from his debut feature “The Devil Smokes,” which claimed the prestigious Berlinale Perspectives Award for best first feature. The director reunites with Karen Plata, who co-wrote that breakthrough film and now pens the screenplay for “This Is the Memory.” Daniel Loustaunau and Mauricio Calderón produce for Colectivo Colmena, while Marian Fernández Pascal handles production duties for Txintxua.

The project currently sits in development after receiving Spain’s ICAA Film Board screenplay writing support in 2025. Financial backing from the national film authority signals institutional confidence in the creative team’s vision and reinforces the film’s status as a significant trans-Atlantic collaboration.

Story Explores Grief Through False Memory Construction

“This Is the Memory” centers on Marina, a 27-year-old woman confronting a devastating double trauma when she receives a cancer diagnosis shortly after her mother’s death. The narrative examines how cassette recordings preserve her mother’s voice, yet Marina begins creating false recordings and invented memories while her family navigates their shared grief. This blend of audio documentation and manufactured recollection forms the emotional core of the story.

Martínez Bucio describes the film as “an exploration of the grieving process, the search to understand one’s own existence and family memory as a collective construction.” The director positions memory not as fixed truth but as something families build together through shared storytelling and selective preservation.

Partnership Grows From Long-Standing Creative Relationship

Txintxua’s involvement emerged organically from Fernández Pascal‘s established connection with the creative team. The producer explained the natural evolution of their collaboration, noting she has known the filmmakers for years. “I’ve known Karen and Neto, the project’s creators, since they moved to my town in the Basque Country several years ago,” Fernández Pascal said. She emphasized their ongoing creative partnership across multiple initiatives and shared artistic sensibilities that made joining “This Is the Memory” feel inevitable.

“We’ve been collaborating on different projects for some time and share common interests. Their previous work is very interesting, and for Txintxua, taking part in ‘This Is the Memory’ was a natural process,” she added. This personal history provides a foundation of trust and mutual understanding that often proves crucial during complex international co-productions.

Txintxua Brings International Television Success

Founded in the Basque Country in 2008 by filmmaker Asier Altuna and Fernández Pascal, Txintxua has built a substantial international profile across both film and television. Altuna’s feature “Amama” (“When a Tree Falls”) won San Sebastián’s Irizar Award, establishing the company’s festival credentials early in its existence.

The company achieved broader recognition with its 2022 Netflix series “Intimacy,” which topped the streamer’s global non-English TV chart. This commercial breakthrough demonstrated Txintxua’s ability to create content that resonates beyond regional audiences while maintaining artistic integrity. The success positioned the company as a sought-after partner for ambitious European productions seeking international reach.

Colectivo Colmena Maintains Strong Festival Presence

Partner production outfit Colectivo Colmena, launched in 2015, has established itself as a consistent presence at major film festivals. Its portfolio includes José Pablo Escamilla‘s “Mostro,” which premiered at Locarno, and Mauricio Calderón Rico‘s “All the Fires,” also a Locarco title. The company further expanded its festival footprint with Escamilla’s “Lumbrensueño,” which premiered at Venice.

This track record at A-list European festivals signals Colectivo Colmena’s commitment to auteur-driven cinema that meets the artistic standards of international programmers. The company’s repeated presence at Locarno and Venice suggests established relationships with festival selection committees and a clear understanding of what resonates in the global arthouse circuit.

San Sebastián Forum Offers Strategic Industry Platform

San Sebastián will mark the project’s first major international industry outing through the Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum. This platform connects European and Latin American producers, financiers, and sales agents during one of Europe’s most significant film festivals. The forum facilitates partnerships between continents that face geographical distance and differing production ecosystems.

Selection for the forum provides “This Is the Memory” with exposure to potential co-producers, broadcasters, and distributors seeking compelling trans-Atlantic projects. The 15 selected titles gain access to scheduled meetings with industry decision-makers and formal presentation opportunities that rarely exist outside major festival markets. For a project still in development, this visibility can prove decisive in securing additional financing and distribution commitments ahead of production.

The Spain-Mexico collaboration reflects broader trends in international co-production, where shared language and cultural ties between Spain and Latin America create natural partnerships. These arrangements allow filmmakers to access funding from multiple national film boards while creating content that speaks to audiences across both regions. For Martínez Bucio, the partnership with Txintxua opens European markets while maintaining creative control with his Mexican producing partners.

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