The fascinating world of birds and their adventures take centre stage in the Ikastetxeak Belodromoan sessions
2026
Sep
18
Thousands of children filled the Velodrome to watch “Migrazioa, bidaia ahatezina / Migration (Migration: An Upside-Down Journey, 2023),” which tells the exciting story of the Mallard duck family’s journey. The screening, programmed at the San Sebastián Film Festival, has the collaboration of the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), and the Basque Film Archive, focuses this year on the fascinating world of migratory birds and their adventures. The screening featured Edorta Unamuno, a biologist and ornithologist from the Urdaibai Bird Center (Aranzadi), and—as has become tradition—the social robot Pepper, livened up the session.
Aiming to connect the cinema and science, during six days, Ikastetxeak Belodromoan will introduce schoolchildren from some 80 primary schools in Gipuzkoa to the fascinating world of birds, their migratory routes and favourite wetlands in our region.
Migration, directed by Benjamin Renner (Paris, 1983) and Guylo Homsy (Paris, 1982), narrates the exciting voyage undertaken by a family of Mallard ducks. After years without leaving their pond, when another family flies in with exciting stories from faraway places, they decide to embark on a trip that passes through New York and arrives in tropical Jamaica.
This edition's guest scientist is Edorta Unamuno, biologist and ornithologist from the Urdaibai Bird Center (Aranzadi), located in the heart of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, who will explain the importance of our local marshlands and their essential role in the migratory routes followed by birds, particularly when travelling between Europe and Africa. We will also have the opportunity to take a close look at some of the scientific projects carried out to monitor small birds.
Pepper the social robot, brought to us by the team headed by Elena Lazkano, from the Robotics and Autonomous Systems research group (RSAIT) at the University of the Basque Country (EHU), couldn’t miss the rendezvous. In keeping with tradition, she will form a luxury twosome with the presenter Ugaitz Alegria at this huge celebration for young audiences. Once again schoolchildren will be able to enjoy the remarkable skills of this robot, now all of an icon at the Velodrome during the Festival.
This morning's opening ceremony was attended by Jose Luis Rebordinos and Lucía Olaciregui, director and deputy director of the San Sebastian International Film Festival, Joxean Fernandez, director of the Basque Film Archive, Ricardo Díez Muiño and Nora Gonzalez, director and communication director of the Donostia International Physics Centre (DIPC), Edorta Unamuno, biologist and ornithologist from the Urdaibai Bird Center (Aranzadi), as well as members of the event's organizing team.
The Ikastetxeak Belodromoan poster, featuring a flock of birds flying over our city, has been created by the designer Julen Cano. A craft kit will also be available to download from the websites of the organising bodies consisting of birds to cut out, colour in and start flying.