She Walks in Darkness Brings Spain’s ETA Struggle to Netflix
Netflix has released the trailer for She Walks in Darkness, a political thriller inspired by one of Spain’s most significant undercover operations against the Basque separatist group ETA. The film arrives in theaters October 3, followed by a Netflix release on October 17, 2025.
Directed and written by Agustín Díaz Yanes, She Walks in Darkness (original title: Un fantasma en la batalla) dramatizes a pivotal mission against ETA that marked a turning point in Spain’s decades-long fight with terrorism. Produced by Belén Atienza, Sandra Hermida, and J.A. Bayona, the team behind the Oscar-nominated Society of the Snow, the film carries a strong pedigree.
The story follows Amaia, an officer in Spain’s Guardia Civil, played by Susana Abaitua. Her character goes undercover in the Basque Country during the 1990s and 2000s, a period when ETA was still orchestrating deadly attacks both in Spain and across the border in France. The supporting cast includes Andrés Gertrúdix, Iraia Elias, Raúl Arévalo, and Ariadna Gil.
The trailer teases a tense and atmospheric drama that mixes espionage with personal sacrifice. It avoids documentary-style storytelling, instead offering a fictionalized account inspired by real events. The balance between historical accuracy and cinematic suspense positions the film as both an emotional thriller and a cultural reflection.
ETA, active from 1959 until its dissolution in 2018, killed 829 people and injured more than 22,000. By exploring the impact of the group’s violence through a female undercover agent, the film seeks to reframe this painful chapter of Spanish history with new perspective.
Premiering at the prestigious San Sebastián Festival in the Official Section, the project has already earned recognition within Spain. Its inclusion there signals both artistic ambition and international interest, as the Basque conflict remains a subject rarely addressed in mainstream cinema.
Netflix has increasingly invested in Spanish-language productions, and this film may strengthen the country’s reputation for hard-hitting thrillers with global reach. For audiences abroad, She Walks in Darkness promises both gripping entertainment and a window into a conflict that shaped modern Spain.
