Karateka: Sandra Sánchez biopic opens in Spanish cinemas

Sandra Sánchez's career has reached the big screen. Karateka, directed by Spain's Aritz Moreno, opened in Spanish cinemas on Friday, October 30, released by Warner Bros. and co-produced by Atresmedia Cine. World Karate Federation (WKF) president Antonio Espinós attended the premiere in Madrid.

Olympic champion at 39

The film follows Sánchez from her first steps in karate as a child in Talavera de la Reina to Olympic kata gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021. She was 39 and beat Japan's Kiyou Shimizu in the final, at the only Games to include karate. A two-time world champion and world number one from 2015 until the end of her career, she is described by the WKF as the most decorated kata athlete in history.

The script gives a central role to Jesús del Moral, her coach and husband, Spain's national kata coach since 2016. Andrea Ros plays Sandra Sánchez and Patrick Criado plays Jesús del Moral. Ernesto Alterio and Pilar Castro round out the Spanish cast, alongside Japanese actors Mizuki Yoshida, Denden and Ayako Fujitani.

Shot in Spain and Japan

Filming took place in Spain and then Japan, where the crew wrapped in Fujinomiya, at the foot of Mount Fuji, in spring 2025. Sánchez and del Moral worked on the project as sports advisers: they trained the two leads for months and took part in the creative process.

The film is not built around spectacular fights. Kata, judged on the precision, power and rhythm of a set sequence performed alone, takes center stage, along with dojo ritual and the long preparation of an athlete who peaked late.

A warm reception

Spanish critics have singled out Andrea Ros's performance. Hipertextual gave the film four stars out of five, praising its careful portrayal of karate while noting uneven pacing and a few subplots left unresolved.

No release date has been announced outside Spain so far. Aritz Moreno made his name in 2019 with his first feature, Advantages of Travelling by Train.