Under Franco's Spain, the proud people of Basque country, whose mysterious origins vastly predate the Roman Empire, were forbidden to speak their native language, and a powerful movement sprang up to fight for independence. In this almost meditative film, set in the "dark days" of that time (1946-1965), Iciar (Eider Amilibia as a child, Garazi Elorza as a teen) is just a schoolchild who secretly speaks Basque (as does just about everyone else he knows). He and his friends become a society and miniature, and vow to be eternal friends. Iciar leaves for boarding school, and comes back some years later. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi