Synopsis:
Argentina’s neo-colonialist and revolutionary histories are explored as part of a call for national liberation.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Documentary
• Revolutionaries
• South and Central American Films

Review:
Octavio Getino and Fernando Solanas co-directed this four hour and 20 minute political documentary about Argentina, which was shown in extremely limited release in its home country given its incendiary content. It is considered a key entry in the Third Cinema movement (so called as a response to Hollywood films as First Cinema, and European art/auteur films as Second Cinema), and it specifically “rejects the view of cinema as a vehicle for personal expression, seeing the director instead as part of a collective; it appeals to the masses by presenting the truth and inspiring revolutionary activism.”

The Hour of the Furnaces is comprised of diverse historical footage alongside current “stealth” footage and interviews with key players, and is divided into three parts of unequal lengths with intentional time built in for discussion. As one set of title cards tell us:

“This film is a pretext for dialogue, for the search, for different wills to meet. It’s an open report that we offer for your consideration, for you to discuss after the screening is over. The most important thing is to create this unitary space, this dialogue for liberation. Our opinions are as valuable as yours, and you can add to this action any other view or experience.”

In segment one — titled “Neo-Colonialism and Violence” (1 hour and 25 minutes long) — we are informed in all caps:

WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT A FALSE HISTORY, FALSE HOPES OF WEALTH, A FALSE INTERNATIONAL VIEWPOINT, FALSE ECONOMIC BELIEFS, A FALSE FREEDOM. TO BE FREE, THERE IS ONLY ONE CHOICE: PUT THE PEOPLE IN POWER.

We are given an overview of Argentina’s history of oppression and imperialism by Spain and England:

… and then shown how the hegemonic forces of global capitalism are still at play, with one particularly notable extended sequence intercutting the slaughter of cattle with facile advertisements.

We see and are told that native peoples have been dehumanized (“The Indian was worthless; only a Christian had value”) and are living in poverty:

… while “50% of the land is in the hands of 1.5% of the landowners.”

Segment two (“Act for Liberation”) is the lengthiest at nearly two hours, and includes a more detailed overview of Argentina’s 20th century political history, including Peronism:

… and activist resistance.

Segment three (the shortest at just over 30 minutes) is entitled “Violence and Liberation,” and includes an interview with a political dissident (“Comrade Troxler”) who was tortured and meant to be assassinated but escaped with his life through sheer luck.

We are shown imagery of liberation movements taking place across the globe:

… and reminded that “peaceful coexistence is just opium that permits imperialism.” While this lengthy, history-intensive, no-holds-barred political rejoinder is certainly not for all tastes, it represents a unique moment in cinematic history and will likely be of interest to film fanatics.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Highly effective “guerrilla” filmmaking
  

Must See?
Yes, for its importance in international cinema.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Cinema Then, Cinema Now Discussion