Preview of “A century in 90 minutes”

Athletic Club, Biscay’s Regional Council and the producing company Baleuko will be previewing the documentary film “A century in 90 minutes” at the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum auditorium this coming Wednesday, 21August. This documentary impelled by the rojiblanco club with the purpose of bequeathing to the coming generations a rigorous and high-quality audio-visual document that gathers the life and the essence of the old San Mamés stadium. Euskal Telebista, Euskaltel, Canal+ and the Bilbao City Council have also participated in the production and financing of this film. Half an hour prior to the screening of the documentary, scheduled to start at 13:00 hours, a commemorative photo session will take place outside the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum, in the old Campa de los Ingleses.

Neither the place chosen nor the date of the premier of this commemorative documentary is accidental. It was precisely at Campa de los Ingleses, next to an old cemetery of the British colony, where the first “football” matches were played in Bilbao over a century ago. And it was on 21 August, but in 1913, when the first match was disputed in the field of San Mamés. Athletic Club and Racing de Irun were the first contenders in the first of three matches of a triangular tourney. The match began at exactly quarter past 5 in the afternoon, and the first goal was scored that very afternoon by the first great Athletic legend: Rafael Moreno “Pichichi”. Thus, this coming 21 August, it will be exactly a century since the inauguration of San Mamés.

Directed by journalist Unai Larrea, “A century in 90 minutes” is a documentary that, throughout an hour and a half, reviews the history of the old Athletic Club field. The work revolves around a series of encounters, recorded mostly in San Mamés itself, between an Athletic Club player and contemporary footballer from a rival team. Numerous file images and footage, some rescued from oblivion and therefore surprising, and a series of interviews to public and anonymous personalities (politicians, writers, musicians, simple members…) are the backbone of the documentary. Over 60 people participate, with their voice, images and memories, in a work that began to take shape in November 2012 and which was finished at the end of last June, coinciding with the beginning of the demolition work of San Mamés.

Johan Cruyff, Iker Casillas, Xavi Hernández, Vicente del Bosque, Jorge Valdano, Andoni Zubizarreta, José Ángel Iribar, Rafa Iriondo, Txetxu Rojo, Joseba Etxeberria, Ángel María Villar, Julen Guerrero, Josu Urrutia, Carmelo and Andoni Cedrun, Javier Clemente, Luis Fernández, Andoni Goikoetxea, Iñigo Liceranzu, Peio Uralde, Jesús Mari Zamora, Carlos Gurpegui, Iñaki Sáez, José Eulogio Gárate, Joaquín Alonso, Rafa Guerrero, Nerea Onaindia, Susana Guerrero or Juanlu (last official goal scorer in San Mamés) have been the leading figures of these cited matches. Among those interviewed are, in addition, José Luis Bilbao, Iñaki Azkuna, Antonio Basagoiti, Jone Goirizelaia, Joaquín Almunia, Kepa Junkera, Kirmen Uribe, Antón Barrutia and Eneko Atxa, among others.