Illuminado por Fuego

This is a really good film about the Falklands war
made by the Argentinians. Been out for a year and
stars their version of Ewan McGregor (An actor called
Gaston Pauls)

http://www.iluminadosporelfuego.com/apertura_flash.php

It is a fair handed event about 3 mates who go over with the
invading Argentinian force and after being kept in abysmal
conditions and hungry surrender to the oncoming British task
force.

It shows the incompetence of their officers and senior NCOs
as well as the Malvinas veterans suicide rate which is as bad as
the Falkland veterans rate over here.

It is based on a book by Edgardo Esteban who was a Malvinas
veteran and is based on his events.

 

Looks interesting mate, any idea where i can get hold of it? Just looked on Amazon and they don't appear to have it.

 

I bought my DVD in Spain in 'El Corte Ingles' in Palma. It has English subtitles. Really good film. Got for about 17 Euros. (about a tenner)

http://www.elcorteingles.es/cine/productos/producto/producto.asp?cod_referencia=25940402263

The site is in Spanish but they should be able to post it out to wherever you are. It is straightforward but if you need any help with the Spanish on ths site let me know!

Cheers!

 

The El Corte Ingles ordering form is also in English...
and they deliver outside Spain! You'll have your own
copy soon and I highly recommend it.

Coem back here with a review if any of you get to watch it!

 

Hello there
seen the movie here in Buenos Aires
more anti-militaristic (our military, that is) propaganda than anything else
the script author, a former soldier, was kicked out from his Vet's federation by fellow soldiers (all conscripts), after publishing the book.
that is not to say that a sizeabe cghunk of our leaders pretty much sucked in 1982 (with quite a few honorable exceptions)
but Mr. Bauer, the director (a recognized left-wing guy, former (?) guerrilla suporter), uses the movie as a parabole to attack all things military in Argentina
We fought, we lost... big deal... there are lessons to be learned, and wounds to be healed, period.
No need to twist and spin history to fit the current administration's vision.
As a matter of fact the veterans (Officers, NCOs and conscripts) who indeed put up a good fight there (5th Marine Bn at Tumbledown, for example) have criticized heavily this film (and not for being 'anti patriotic' or whatever, but for carrying a hidden agenda).
Lastly, the films relies on cliches about the military (specially Offrs and NCO) that have been on the Argentine society since well before the war ()some of yoyu may notice, some not... 'you gotta be there' to appreciate it!). This is common practice, since our military seems to be still paying the price for the "Dirty War". The fiolm received a lot of support from the current administration, made up by former left-wing guerrilla supporters, sympathisers, etc.
Nice harrier shots (made with computers) though.
Just my 0.02p (considering that I was 5 in 1982... and hadn´t even been born when the 'dirty war' started in the early 70's).
Cheers
DS

 

Thanks for that Dazzer, I'll order myself a copy. No dramas with the Spanish thanks.
If, like me, you're a bit of a fan of spanish film mate, there's a film out there called "guerreros" - Warriors, about a group of Spanish troops based in Kosovo. It's a little far fetched, but good for picking up military Spanish. It also has English subtitles if you need them.

 

Depends where the Spanish is from as in regards to understanding it. But I'm going to check that out Bagster as I didn't know there has been a Spanish war film about Kosovo made. Cheers for the tip!

I don't know how that slipped under my radar because my Spanish language DVD collection is pretty impressive but thanks anyway!

 

I lived in Cabalitto Bs As for a year and a half a couple of years ago. I love that city so much, mi vieja es Uruguaya . Although my Spanish is pretty crap because I was brought up here.

All war films are made with a slant towards a certain belief. I think it is natural for any creditable Argentine Malvinas film to be made about the land forces and do well is for it to be about the more humanitarian side of the war which is the role of the veterans in Argentine society. I thought the film was well done myself. I was only 10 years old myself in 1982 so I'm no expert either.

I suppose if the Argentines were going to make a more 'patriotic' film about the Malvinas maybe one based on their air force would be more appropiate. As far as I could tell the army and the navy were responsible for some serious naughtiness regarding 'the dispappeared' and it was only the Argentine air force that came out of the conflict with any world wide credit!

It is a shame that most arrse'ers will laugh at the thought of the notion of wathcing this film as most red blooded British men would love Buenos Aires, beautiful women, sunny skies and fantastic lomito sandwiches with chimchurri!

 

Just ordered 'Guerreros' for about a fiver

Cheers for the tip Bagster!

 

just ordered Illuminados por el fuego from El corte Ingles,
thanks yourself, if I get any more gems, I'll let you know.

 

Hello Dazzer
as a Navy guy myself (heheh) I'll have to partially disagree...
Air Force? Great PR efforts AFTER the war
but the truth is that most of the sunken tonnage was done by Navy Pilots
The Air Force had appaling losses and their tactics and strategic planning (as well as logistics) were shite... The navy with only 12 meager strike fighters did much more than the AF with over 100 jets in theatre.
As land combat goes, the only "decent" stand on June was made by marines (so part of the Navy as well)
RE: DIrty War. while numbers might be against the army and navy, most AF guys in the 1970s had been brainwashed with a childish nationalistic/neo nazi view. Look up "Jordan Bruno Genta" n google.. that guy was teaching AF OCdts since the mid' 60s. And before that, do not underestimate the influence of people like Rudel, Galland, et al. Some fancy flying (Naval Aviators were statistically better, as I said), some guts, but a crooked set of values (and don't get me started on the Air Force cashing on the 1982 PR effort to ammass milliosn with the airport system)
Cheers
DS
PS: So you are half uruguayan, half briton? Two casus belli between us, then hehehe. Take care, mate
PS 2: Agreed, most britons/auusies/kiwis/ I know just love Buenos Aires... some of them even look into Argentina as THE place for an early retirement (GBP go a BIG way over here... 6 to 1 to the peso)

 

just watched the film , very well made, doesn't go over board about Malvinas estan Argentino sempre etc etc , it did portray the suffering of soldiers, the bonds formed under combat and closeness is the same world over, the best part of the entire film for me was when the main Character went back to the Falklands, he looked out of the window of his B&B, saw the sign regarding Falklander's wish for self determination and most of all the young children playing innocently in the field, that really touched me as this is what it is all about, to be able to live without fear of military dictatorship with the risk of being kidnappped and dissapearing possibly killed, the orphans traumatised for life, forget Thatcher, saving her skin, forget Foreign Policy Fuck ups, seeing those kids did bring tears to my eyes and I'm not ashamed to say that.


the second best part is when he went back into that foxhole and found the watch and latters tucked behind that rocks all those years and its all coming back to him.

reminded me of when Simon Weston went back and it all became to much for him and he cried, I don't blame him.

 

My copy arrived a couple of weeks ago from Spain, and my wife and I (Both Spanish Linguists) watched it this weekend. Really enjoyed it and I would recommend it to anyone interested in seeing things from the other side. I agree totally with the above comment that it was in no-way pro Argentinian, the main sentiment was just anti-war in general. Good film. I remember my wife and I reading that sign about the argentinians being welcome when they recognise the Falklands right to self-determination, when we were there. A very interesting, well-made and enjoyable film.