 Basterretxea also engaged in film making, with short films such as "Operación H" (1963), "Pelotari" (1964), as well as "Alquézar, retablo de pasión" (1965), as well as several other documentaries.In 1968, he came back onto the spotlight with the full feature documentary "Ama Lur - Tierra Madre" ('mother earth'), co-directed with Fernando Larruquert.Despite the documentary's countless difficulties with Franco's regime's censorship, it ultimately made it through to the San Sebastián International Film Festival, to public and critical acclaim.