The Child (El niño in Spanish) is a 2026 Spanish drama movie from Netflix. It is written and directed by Mariano Barroso, based on the novel by Fernando Aramburu. It stars Belén Cuesta as Mariaje and Karra Elejalde as Nicasio, with Pep Ambròs, Raquel Ferri, Joan Solé, Leyre Berrocal and Alex Infantes. It was filmed mainly in Biscay (Bizkaia) in the Basque Country, with the shoot ending in Madrid.
The story follows Mariaje and Nicasio, the mother and grandfather of one of the children who died in a gas explosion in a Biscay village in October 1980. Each of them looks for a way to live with the loss. The film is inspired by the real explosion at a school in Ortuella.
The Child opens in Spanish cinemas on November 13, 2026, and streams on Netflix on November 27, 2026, according to Netflix. It is a drama set in Europe.
Table of Contents
When and Where Was The Child Filmed?
| Film Name | The Child (El niño) |
|---|---|
| Genres | Drama |
| Filming Locations | Balmaseda, Ugao-Miraballes, Santutxu (Bilbao), Santurtzi, Barakaldo, Mundaka and Gernika, Biscay, Basque Country; Madrid, Spain |
| Filming Dates | April 28, 2025 to June 30, 2025 |
| Cinematography by | Marc Gómez del Moral |
| Release Date | November 13, 2026 (Spanish cinemas); November 27, 2026 (Netflix) |
The first scheduled shoot was in Balmaseda from April 28, 2025, according to Deia. Netflix announced that filming ended in Madrid on June 30, 2025, after several locations in the Basque Country, as About Netflix reported. Actualidad Literatura says the crew filmed in almost 20 Biscay municipalities over more than two months, including Bilbao, Mundaka, Gernika, Barakaldo, Ugao-Miraballes, Santurtzi and Balmaseda, to recreate the 1980s.
📍Balmaseda, Biscay
Balmaseda was one of the main shooting sites. The town council announced filming from April 28 to May 1, 2025, in the Tenerías neighbourhood, on Calle El Cementerio and at the municipal cemetery. The cemetery was used on April 28, 29 and 30, and the neighbourhood and street on April 30 and May 1, according to Deia. Press reports say these places suit the film’s atmosphere. The story follows Nicasio, who visits his grandson’s grave every Thursday.
Visiting: The Tenerías neighbourhood and Calle El Cementerio are public. The cemetery is in use, so please be respectful.
📍Ugao-Miraballes, Biscay
IMDb lists Ugao-Miraballes as the filming location. Talleres Borao on Calle San Bartolomé was used from 3:30 p.m. on May 8 to 2:30 a.m. on May 9, 2025, according to Deia. The exterior of a former school that has been closed for decades was filmed on May 12, 26 and 27, according to Onda Vasca. The court of the El Jaro sports centre was used as the production base for make-up, wardrobe, production office and catering.
Visiting: The workshop is a private site, and the former school is a closed building, so please do not enter either.
📍Santutxu, Bilbao
The Bilbao neighbourhood of Santutxu was chosen as a filming location, and its streets were dressed to recreate the period, according to Radio Nervión on May 28, 2025.
Visiting: Santutxu is a public residential neighbourhood, so please be considerate of residents.
📍Santurtzi, Barakaldo, Mundaka and Gernika, Biscay
Press reports name Santurtzi as one of the main places, with Balmaseda and Ugao-Miraballes, according to Best Movie. Barakaldo, Mundaka and Gernika are also among the filming towns, per Actualidad Literatura.
Visiting: All of these are public towns in Biscay.
📍Mercado de la Ribera, Bilbao (reported from the trailer)
Mercado de la Ribera in Bilbao’s Casco Viejo (Old Town) appears in the trailer. The market stands on the right bank of the Nervión River. It opened in 1929 and was designed by architect Pedro Ispizua. More than 60 merchants sell fish, meat, produce and cheese there.
Visiting: It is a public market, so check its opening hours before you go.
📍Foru Plaza, Gernika-Lumo (reported from the trailer)
Foru Plaza in the centre of Gernika appears in the trailer. The town’s Peace Museum is at Foru Plaza 1. Gernika is also named as one of the filming towns in the press.
Visiting: The plaza is public.
📍Old Bridge (Zubi Zaharra), Ondarroa (reported from the trailer)
The Old Bridge crosses the Artibai river in Ondarroa, a fishing town on the Biscay coast, and appears in the trailer. The first bridge on the spot was wooden, from 1795. The current stone bridge was damaged in 1936 and by floods in 1953. It stands beside the old fishermen’s guild house, designed in 1920 by Pedro Guimon.
Visiting: The bridge is public, and you can walk across it.
📍Other Areas
We will update this guide as soon as more places are named. Our Europe page lists more titles shot on the continent, including Missing the Boat, and our movies page lists more guides.
The Child Behind the Scenes
To make your search for The Child filming even more interesting, here is how the team handled the story. Ortuella’s council asked Netflix not to film in the town, to protect the families, according to Radio Nervión, and the shoot used other Biscay towns.
Netflix says people close to the original tragedy collaborated on the production. Barroso called the project an ethical and emotional challenge. Author Fernando Aramburu said the children who died in 1980 deserve a dignified place in memory.
Fun fact: Mariano Barroso won the Goya for Best Adapted Screenplay for Todas las mujeres, and this is his return to directing a feature film.
We will add more cast and crew Instagram posts and set photos here as soon as they are shared.
Is There Any Trailer Available for The Child?
Yes. Netflix released the official trailer, which runs 1 minute 55 seconds, ahead of the cinema release. You can watch it on Netflix’s channels and on the Netflix Spain news page.
The Child opens in Spanish cinemas on November 13, 2026. It streams on Netflix from November 27, 2026.
FAQs
Q1: Where was The Child filmed?
A1: It was filmed in Biscay in the Basque Country, across almost 20 municipalities including Balmaseda, Ugao-Miraballes, Bilbao, Santurtzi, Barakaldo, Mundaka and Gernika. The shoot ended in Madrid.
Q2: Was The Child filmed in Ortuella?
A2: Ortuella’s council asked Netflix not to film in the town, and the shoot took place in other Biscay municipalities.
Q3: When was The Child filmed?
A3: Filming ran from April 2025 to June 30, 2025, when it ended in Madrid.
Q4: Is The Child based on a true story?
A4: It is a fiction adapted from Fernando Aramburu’s novel, inspired by the gas explosion at a school in Ortuella in October 1980.
Q5: Who is in the cast of The Child?
A5: Belén Cuesta plays Mariaje and Karra Elejalde plays Nicasio. Pep Ambròs, Raquel Ferri, Joan Solé, Leyre Berrocal and Alex Infantes are also in the cast.
Q6: When can I watch The Child?
A6: It opens in Spanish cinemas on November 13, 2026, and streams on Netflix on November 27, 2026.
The Child was filmed in Biscay in the Basque Country from April to June 2025, with Balmaseda and Ugao-Miraballes among its main locations. We will update this guide as soon as more places are named.
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