'Miguel Ángel Blanco: The 48 Hours That Changed Spain' arrives on Netflix this July 10th

A documentary film directed by Jon Sistiaga, a direct witness to the events, and Juanjo López, narrated by Sistiaga himself and produced by The Tintirin Team.

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Today, Netflix revealed the official trailer, first look images, and release date for Miguel Ángel Blanco: The 48 Hours That Changed Spain. Directed by Jon Sistiaga and Juanjo López, and produced by The Tintirin Team, the documentary film will arrive on Netflix this July 10th.

Miguel Ángel Blanco: The 48 Hours That Changed Spain. covers the two days when the entire nation of Spain held its breath, a time when millions of people mobilized as their only hope to stop the murder of Miguel Ángel Blanco, a slow-motion tragedy that left a profound mark on the country. Marking the 29th anniversary of the death of the young man from Ermua, the exact age he was when he was murdered, this documentary recalls that pivotal moment of solidarity and compassion, when Basque society finally lost its fear of ETA.

To reconstruct that story, the documentary features up to 30 testimonies, among them are those who bore the responsibility of making the most complex personal and institutional decisions during those 48 hours, such as the Prime Minister at the time, José María Aznar, the then Minister of the Interior, Jaime Mayor Oreja, and the mayor of Ermua, Carlos Totorika, as well as Miguel Ángel’s sister, María del Mar Blanco. It also features His Majesty the King of Spain, who shares his reflections on how the then-Prince of Asturias, also 29 years old at the time, experienced the kidnapping and assassination of Miguel Ángel Blanco, and on the vital importance of never forgetting.

Recalling that race against time, the participants range from front-line journalists who covered the story to key institutional figures from various political parties who played a pivotal role in the social and political mobilization. The documentary also features Miguel Ángel’s friends and bandmates, coworkers, members of the police operation, and Ertzaintza officers who took part in the search efforts during his kidnapping, as well as the medical professionals who did everything possible to save his life including Jaime Segalés, Juan Cabezas, Francisco Vázquez, Imanol Rodríguez, and Dr. Francisco García Urra.

For the first time in 29 years, the documentary features the testimony of individuals who made active attempts to halt the assassination of Miguel Ángel Blanco and save his life by reaching out to members of the terrorist group, as was the case with María José Gurrutxaga and Patxi Zabaleta. Although the possibility of these attempts had been rumored until now, those involved had never spoken openly about them, nor had they ever been confirmed by official sources.

Jon Sistiaga, a journalist who has covered numerous conflicts around the world, was then a 29-year-old reporter sent to cover the story on the ground. Sistiaga serves as the narrator of this documentary, guiding us through those days via the first-hand testimonies of those who lived them, all enriched by the unique perspective of having been there when it all unfolded.

The fruit of months of exhaustive journalistic work, research, and documentation, the documentary rigorously reconstructs those 48 hours. The team consulted primary sources and analyzed over 180 hours of archival footage, more than 30 national and international audiovisual sources, dozens of domestic and foreign newspapers, as well as institutional and educational sources, and various archives and libraries.

About The Tintirin Team

The Tintirin Team is a non-fiction audiovisual production company. Led by Juanjo López, the team boasts extensive experience delving into worlds beyond the reach of the general public, bringing them to the screen with a distinct and highly characteristic perspective—be it through documentaries, docu-fiction, or television series. Following the success of UniverXO Dabiz, they return to Netflix with a new documentary exploring one of the most transformative events in Spain's recent history.