The short film Cuando Todo Arde (When Everything Burns) by director/writer María Belén Poncio has screened at this year’s Hollyshorts Film Festival. The film is fiction based on an actual conflict: intentional wildfires are occurring in the protected lands of Argentina for development purposes and are destroying the native forest. Although the characters and situations are fiction, they are based on a context currently affecting the hills of Cordoba, Argentina, where the story takes place, and other areas of the country.
Synopsis: Isabel is ostracized by the fire brigade she belongs to for attacking a real estate development implicated in forest fires. Determined to forge ahead on her own, she faces her loneliness and frustration in an encounter that will question the essence of her fight.
For those around the world who are unaware of the wildfires in Argentina, this film brings attention to what is happening in their country. Anytime there is development in an area that is not previously designated for said development, many questions arise from the residents and businesses of the region. In this 12-minute short film, the script allows the viewer to know there is some extensive history leading up to the point we see the action being taken. One person is seen taking the action, but it is unknown if she is acting independently or if others are taking up the cause at a different site. The short is effective enough to engage the audience and want to learn more about the devastation, as well as the efforts of the people to fight against what appears to be intentional fires in the forest. Let’s hope for a feature film.
Anabella Bacigalupo, who portrays Isabel in this outstanding performance, displays the intensity of someone who is passionate about what she believes in and represents others in this display of resistance.
According to the press information submitted, “The script and the shoot were made with the collaboration and participation of people that live in the area and that work fighting those fires.”
Director’s Statement: Cuando Todo Arde (When Everything Burns) explores the frustration and anger caused by the destruction of the world around us under the idea of progress, and what we can do about it. Loneliness and individuality juxtaposed with collective force, organization, and compassion in a sensorial experience.
Director’s Biography: Belén Poncio is a writer, director, and editor from Cordoba, Argentina. She directed and co-wrote the short VR film “4 Feet: Blind Date,” supported by the Sundance Institute and the Biennale di Venezia College Cinema VR. It premiered at Biennale di Venezia 2018, Sundance 2019, and SXSW 2019, winning the best VR narrative award in the last one. It also won awards in Dok Leipzig and Guanajuato Film Festivals.
She later directed and co-wrote the fictional cross-platform miniseries 4 Feet High, produced by Arte France TV. The series premiered at Biennale di Venezia 2020, Sundance 2021, BFI 2021, and TIFF Next Wave and won a jury and audience award at SXSW 2021.
Her latest short film, Cuando Todo Arde (When Everything Burns), had its world premiere at the Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Short Film—Argentinian Competition. The film also premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the “Exceptional Craftsmanship” award in the Mazda Presents Moving the Spotlight category. It also screened at the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG).
Source: Tribeca FF, Hollyshorts FF