DIRECTOR: Antonella Sudasassi
STARRING: Sol Carballo, Paulina Bernini Viquez, Juliana Filloy, Liliana Biamonte, Juan Luis Araya
RUNNING TIME: 1 hr 29 minutes
LANGUAGE: Spanish
Repression and taboos have shaped the image of womanhood for Ana (68 years old), Patricia (69 years old) and Mayela (71 years old). Their stories poetically combine to form a kaleidoscope of memories, secrets and longing that are incarnated by another woman's body.
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Memories of a Burning Body is the latest film from acclaimed director Antonella Sudasassi. This is her second film to be submitted for Costa Rica, following The Awakening of the Ants in 2019. The film won the audience award at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, where it made its worldwide debut. The film has been used as an educational and reflective tool at events such as the UN Population Fund for World Sexual Health Day. The film also won a handful of prizes at Ventana Sur in its post-production stages.
The film was picked by the Costa Rican Film Academy to represent them for the Oscars and the Goya Awards. According to the Academy, the film represents not only a milestone for the director and her work, but also a platform to make visible essential issues in the lives of women in any nation, “from an authentic and honest perspective.”
The film is co-produced by the Costa Rican company Substance Films and the Spanish company PlayLab Films. Bendita Films has worldwide sales of the film.
Memories of a Burning Body is a drama and it was filmed entirely in Costa Rica.
To check out all previous submissions for Costa Rica, click HERE.
STARRING: Sol Carballo, Paulina Bernini Viquez, Juliana Filloy, Liliana Biamonte, Juan Luis Araya
RUNNING TIME: 1 hr 29 minutes
LANGUAGE: Spanish
Repression and taboos have shaped the image of womanhood for Ana (68 years old), Patricia (69 years old) and Mayela (71 years old). Their stories poetically combine to form a kaleidoscope of memories, secrets and longing that are incarnated by another woman's body.
***
Memories of a Burning Body is the latest film from acclaimed director Antonella Sudasassi. This is her second film to be submitted for Costa Rica, following The Awakening of the Ants in 2019. The film won the audience award at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, where it made its worldwide debut. The film has been used as an educational and reflective tool at events such as the UN Population Fund for World Sexual Health Day. The film also won a handful of prizes at Ventana Sur in its post-production stages.
The film was picked by the Costa Rican Film Academy to represent them for the Oscars and the Goya Awards. According to the Academy, the film represents not only a milestone for the director and her work, but also a platform to make visible essential issues in the lives of women in any nation, “from an authentic and honest perspective.”
The film is co-produced by the Costa Rican company Substance Films and the Spanish company PlayLab Films. Bendita Films has worldwide sales of the film.
Memories of a Burning Body is a drama and it was filmed entirely in Costa Rica.
To check out all previous submissions for Costa Rica, click HERE.
FILM REVIEW:
(This review contains spoilers.)
“Why didn’t you listen?”
Antonella Sudasassi’s latest film Memories of a Burning Body builds upon the thematic exploration of the female experience in repressive societies. The film focuses on three women aged from 68 to 71: Ana, Patricia, and Mayela. They reflect on their relationship with sexuality and their bodies. These reflections are framed against a backdrop of a society steeped in sexist norms and oppressive taboos, particularly common in Latin America.
The film opens in darkness, with voices discussing taboo subjects like sex and sexual pleasure, drawing the audience into an oppressive world where these topics were forbidden. These conversations are imagined as a dialogue the director never had with her own grandmothers but always wished for. The darkness symbolizes the societal repression that silenced women’s voices for generations. The voices of the women, representing different stages of life from girlhood to motherhood, emerge from this darkness, confronting a lifetime of suppression enforced by conservative values, religion, and patriarchy.
The entire story unfolds within the confines of a single house, a metaphorical prison where the past and present blur together, highlighting how these women are trapped by their memories and traumas. Their desires, particularly around sexual pleasure and the acceptance of their own femininity, are central themes. These desires, whether fulfilled or unattainable, are closely tied to freedom, a freedom that the women have been denied for much of their lives. Their memories speak to this repression, but the film also suggests the potential for liberation through self-expression.
Memories of a Burning Body captures the phases of these women’s lives, the pain of stifled ambitions, domestic violence, and abuse. Yet, it remains full of humor, resilience, and optimism, presenting a society that has kept women in the dark about their own sexuality but has not extinguished their inner fire. The protagonists’ refusal to be imprisoned by societal expectations, including the idea of aging, forms the core of this powerful narrative, as they reclaim their voices and bodies, asserting that it’s never too late to live fully.
The film is a testament to female resilience and reinvention, delivered through a deeply personal lens, producing a moving narrative about breaking free from societal constraints and embracing autonomy. Through the stories of three older women reflecting on their memories, the film emphasizes the importance of confronting past wounds, reclaiming one's burning body, and breaking free from oppressive norms. Ultimately, it advocates for personal and collective freedom, showing that it is never too late to redefine oneself and embrace one's identity.
(This review contains spoilers.)
“Why didn’t you listen?”
Antonella Sudasassi’s latest film Memories of a Burning Body builds upon the thematic exploration of the female experience in repressive societies. The film focuses on three women aged from 68 to 71: Ana, Patricia, and Mayela. They reflect on their relationship with sexuality and their bodies. These reflections are framed against a backdrop of a society steeped in sexist norms and oppressive taboos, particularly common in Latin America.
The film opens in darkness, with voices discussing taboo subjects like sex and sexual pleasure, drawing the audience into an oppressive world where these topics were forbidden. These conversations are imagined as a dialogue the director never had with her own grandmothers but always wished for. The darkness symbolizes the societal repression that silenced women’s voices for generations. The voices of the women, representing different stages of life from girlhood to motherhood, emerge from this darkness, confronting a lifetime of suppression enforced by conservative values, religion, and patriarchy.
The entire story unfolds within the confines of a single house, a metaphorical prison where the past and present blur together, highlighting how these women are trapped by their memories and traumas. Their desires, particularly around sexual pleasure and the acceptance of their own femininity, are central themes. These desires, whether fulfilled or unattainable, are closely tied to freedom, a freedom that the women have been denied for much of their lives. Their memories speak to this repression, but the film also suggests the potential for liberation through self-expression.
Memories of a Burning Body captures the phases of these women’s lives, the pain of stifled ambitions, domestic violence, and abuse. Yet, it remains full of humor, resilience, and optimism, presenting a society that has kept women in the dark about their own sexuality but has not extinguished their inner fire. The protagonists’ refusal to be imprisoned by societal expectations, including the idea of aging, forms the core of this powerful narrative, as they reclaim their voices and bodies, asserting that it’s never too late to live fully.
The film is a testament to female resilience and reinvention, delivered through a deeply personal lens, producing a moving narrative about breaking free from societal constraints and embracing autonomy. Through the stories of three older women reflecting on their memories, the film emphasizes the importance of confronting past wounds, reclaiming one's burning body, and breaking free from oppressive norms. Ultimately, it advocates for personal and collective freedom, showing that it is never too late to redefine oneself and embrace one's identity.
