Errementari – aka Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil – is a 2017 Spanish/French [Basque] fantasy horror film directed by Paul Urkijo Alijo (shorts: Monsters Do Not Exist; Playing with the Death) from a screenplay co-written with Asier Guerricaechevarría. It was produced by Álex de la Iglesia (The Bar; The Last Circus; Witching & Bitching) and stars Kandido Uranga, Eneko Sagardoy and Uma Bracaglia.
Based on a Basque folk tale, ‘Patxi herrementaria’, collected by priest, archaeologist and anthropologist José Migel de Barandiarán in 1903, the story is set in the Basque region in 1845, in a universe inhabited by mythological diabolic creatures, battling to capture the souls of the unwitting. The title Errementari translates as “Blacksmith”.
The Devil wants a solitary blacksmith’s soul. Meanwhile, the blacksmith wants to escape his prison. A young girl offers a solution, if both the blacksmith and Devil will allow her to help…
“It’s a Gothic horror demonic tale, with adventure and black humour. I intend to plunge the spectator into Basque folk fantastic imagery that I love so much.” Urkijo told Variety.
Filming locations:
El Pobal and Ebide, Bizkaia, Spain
Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, País Vasco, Spain
Image credit: 28 Days Later Analysis | Zimea
