THE MELTDOWN
Special Features: Centerpiece Screening | Post-screening reception sponsored by the Embassy of Chile on Oct. 6
[EL DESHIELO]
An Antarctic iceberg is transported to the other side of the world to be exhibited as a symbol of the impressive natural resources of a country eager to rebrand itself after the end of an oppressive and divisive dictatorship. Meanwhile, Ines, a lonely child staying at her grandparents’ southern resort in Chile, befriends a teenage German ski champion named Hannah and witnesses her family’s dealings with foreign investors, as well as the ways they cope with potentially damaging truths. As in her award-winning debut CHILE ‘76, director Manuela Martelli’s background as an actor (B-HAPPY, MACHUCA) informs her directorial style as she draws intense performances from her cast, particularly newcomer Maya O’Rourke as Ines. O’Rourke’s portrayal of a nine-year-old experiencing personal awakenings also reveals the contradictions of Chile’s return to democracy in the early 1990s; her family’s handling of Hannah’s sudden disappearance unsettlingly echoes the lingering vices and silences of the Pinochet era. Martelli’s subtle construction of atmospheres and political allegories about her own country’s recent history confirms her as one of the most compelling new voices to follow in Chilean cinema. (Note courtesy of Natalia Ames Ramello, AFI FEST.)
DIR/SCR Manuela Martelli; PROD Pablo Díaz, Alejandra Garcia, Alex C. Lo; Andrés Wood. Chile/U.S./Spain/Mexico, 2026, color, 108 min. In Spanish with English subtitles. NOT RATED
Run Time: 108 Minutes
Opening Date: Tuesday, October 06, 2026
Genre: Drama
Reception