Iluminados por el fuego (2005)

The suicide of an old soldier buddy brings up some old memories for an Argentinian man.

Director:

Tristán Bauer

Writers:

Tristán Bauer, Miguel Bonasso

Stars:

Gastón Pauls, Pablo Ribba, César Albarracín

15 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Gastón Pauls	...	Esteban Leguizamón
Pablo Ribba	...	Alberto Vargas
César Albarracín	...	Juan Chamorro
Víctor Hugo Carrizo	...	Teniente Pizarro
Virginia Innocenti	...	Marta / Maria Vargas
Juan Leyrado	...	Teniente Alurralde
Arturo Bonín	...	Doctor Prina
Jon Lucas	...	(voice)
Mario Chaparro
Tony Lestingi
Carlos Garmendia	...	(voice)
Lautaro Delgado
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Miguel Oscar Acuna
Marcos Damian Alias
Gabriel Casal

Storyline

Blessed By Fire is the story of two young men sent to fight the 1982 war in the Falkland Islands (or as they are known in Argentina, the Malvinas) who return home bearing the brutal scars of war. Twenty years after the war's end, journalist Esteban Leguizamón is informed that Alberto Vargas, one of the men he served with, has attempted to commit suicide after suffering from years of depression brought on by his experiences in the war. Esteban visits the comatose Vargas at the hospital, and in a series of extended flashbacks, revisits the scene of Argentina's "unwinnable war." Esteban and fellow soldiers Vargas and Juan are living in foxholes on the remote, windswept Falklands, battling hunger, boredom, abuse, and the deprivations of war as they await the arrival of British forces. A series of harrowing battle scenes with British forces ensue, and the Argentines realize the futility and violence of their mission. They're cannon fodder, overwhelmed, outnumbered, pawns in a futile ...

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Plot Keywords:

journalist | hospital | argentina | memory | friend | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | War

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Movie site

Country:

Argentina Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

8 September 2005 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Blessed by Fire

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canal+ España, Gobierno de la Provincia de San Luis, Gobierno de la Provincia de Santa Cruz

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Leguizamón mentions that over 290 veterans had committed suicide after the war, and indicates that this is the same as the name number of casualties there during the war. Argentine casualties during the war totalled 649, of which 321 were killed when the General Belgrano was sunk. If Leguizamón was counting only the casualties on the Falklands themselves, his figure is roughly correct. Source: Wikipedia

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Goofs

The sweat patterns on Leguizamón's jacket change in the two shots immediately after he leaves the infirmary.

User Reviews

Malvinas war, 1982

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.