Iluminados por el fuego

As I lived in the UK for a long time, I had mostly heard/seen about the Falklands War from a Briiths perspective. Tried to find a movie from the Argentine perspective, and this came up.

It shows the experience of three young recruits sent to the Falklands, cutting between their experiences there on the islands and back in modern day Argentina, as the suicide attempt of one of them reunites him with an old war buddy.

The film largely focuses on the futility of war, and how the soldiers do not want to be in this fight that they have no interest in, and where their own commanders mistreat them. The film doesn't try to make a political statement, it focuses on the human side of things.

It was very interesting to see this perspective, but the film was clearly done on a limited budget. I'd say the production values were of a cheap made for TV feature. But what lifted it up a bit was that there were some scenes actually filmed on the Falklands, which was interesting to see.

The first real movie about Malvinas war, telling the cruel way the incompetent heads of the Argentinian army sent those boys to a war they didn't want to go. And the movie is short telling the real story, which was worst than it is depicted here. Frozen, hungry boys, fighting a war for keeping in their throne the decadent military government. Acting is of good standard. Gaston Pauls confirm his great moment, and the moods and language of the Argentinean military men is very well depicted. The war scenes are not so good, but you can feel the frozen wind in your feet when the soldiers are waiting for the enemy. No love to motherland, no hating the enemy, only waiting for an early ending, and back home to mom, girlfriend, and family. No special effects, no needing of it. You get involved with the characters, in a very special way. The storytelling is quite slow, but accordingly with the interminable waiting for the enemy, in that frozen tundra, with inadequate equipment. Iluminados por el fuego is not a documentary film for those interested in history, but a testimony of the useless suffering of those soldiers. Don't expect CGI and special effects as in "Saving Private Ryan". This is real life, and it hurts.

I just saw 'Iluminados por el fuego' at the 'Filmar en America Latina' film festival in Geneva, which takes places here every year and lasts about three weeks in November. Fist of all, I would like to say that I have read all the 3 comments posted so far and found all the three useful. What I would also like to say is that even here, people who had seen the film I talked to also felt like me that it was very strong and extremely intelligently made because, instead of depicting details of military operations, it really focused on the real drama, the drama of young conscripts who DID NOT want to go to war and were sent to a completely useless slaughter and the tragic aftermath of it. Another strong point of the film is that is also emphasizes the total lack of humanity of a bloody dictatorship, which, non content of having already killed about 30'000 people (I think this is the official number of the 'disappeared', and I heard there might have been more; anyway, anyone who might confirm or correct what I say here is welcome)could not, before leaving power, perform another final act of abominable criminal madness, which, in many respect, reminds of the criminal madness of the Nazis at the end of WW II in Germany,which also sent thousands to a useless death simply because they knew their time was over. This very war, which many people around the world tend to forget nowadays, is the final tragic demonstration of the Nazi-like nature of this military dictatorship, and it is even more disgusting to know that many of those involved in it have benefited from amnesty, instead of being sentenced to death by hanging like their models!!! This, I think, is one of the very reason why films such as 'Iluminados por el fuego' are important.

Iluminados por el fuego is one of the finest anti war films.It is based on a book by Edgardo Esteban who fought at Falklands Islands as a soldier for more than 50 days.It is a sad tale of a journalist Esteban Leguizamón (Gastón Pauls) who is informed that his colleague at war Vargas (Pablo Ribba) has attempted to commit suicide as he was disturbed due to recurrent images of war.Esteban visits his colleague at hospital.This sad visit forces him to go back to the memories of the past.Argentinian auteur Tristan Bauer acquaints viewers with one of the most stupid wars waged at Falkland Islands (Islas Malavinas) in 1982 between Argentina and United Kingdom.Falklands war was horrendous for Argentina can be explained from the fact that it was responsible for the killing of more than 400 soldiers due to suicide.It is believed that some 267 soldiers lost their lives while they were defending the false pride of Argentina.Tristan Bauer shows us the madness of a futile war.His film proves that when a soldier dies, humanity also loses with him.Tristan Bauer is highly critical of Argentinian army generals who are shown as cowards.He tells that young soldiers have no choice but are forced to die for their motherland.

I have purchased some films about war in the Falklands, which occured back in 1982, and most of those movies were British, so told from the winners' side, not the losers' one. So far as I know, that's the only Argentinian movie speaking of this trauma. The equivalent of what Nam war was for the USA. So, this is a rare document that deserves to be watched, and very closely. This is an awesome piece of work, realistic, gripping, depressing. In short a true masterpiece helped by some footage stuff, easy to get. I hope there will be the same about war in Ukraine and made from the Russian side, if possible without any propaganda.... Which I unfortunately doubt. But here, that's just a document, jaw dropping material, I repeat, very hard to get.