Before the Fire follows a Mapuche community in southern Argentina defending their ancestral land and traditions. Their daily life is shattered when hired killers murder one of their members, igniting a struggle for memory and justice. What emerges is a moving and deeply impactful narrative, immersing the viewer “into the experience of a community that resists with tireless determination, a people who cry out for justice and memory, clinging to their roots and their spirituality,” the project notes state.
German co-producer Natalia Imaz of parabellum film underlines to BDE the urgency of the project she signed up for.
“Before the Fire is a significant film in relation to the political and social reality of Argentina today,” she says. “Crafting a narrative in which a people such as the Mapuche recount their struggle to ‘be’ and, at the same time, to ‘reclaim’ their territory, is not only relevant to Argentina but also to a concept of ‘community’ that is becoming increasingly urgent in the world we inhabit.”
“Our aim is to create a narrative that is both aesthetic and story-driven, accompanying our protagonists’ family as they learn to ‘be Mapuche’ and find their place in a world that seems to be growing ever more complex for indigenous communities.”
The filmmakers are currently midway through an “intense” 12-week editing period after which there will probably be one final shooting trip around July or August to secure the last needed footage around July or August. The goal is to deliver the film around Spring of 2027.
“In terms of financial info, we have so far secured support from both the Argentinean Film Institute INCAA and IDFA Bertha Fund Europe, with a handful of additional applications pending results at the moment,” Imaz tells BDE. “Main producer is Jorge Andrés Botero of Séptima Films in Colombia, with me as German co-producer with parabellum film. Currently we are exploring co-production opportunities in the Netherlands with initial funding efforts there just submitted.”
She further underlines how, from the beginning, the film was conceived as “a cinematic, immersive experience, moving away from rigid conventional documentary forms to capture the specificity of the territory and the people inhabiting it.”
“My aim as filmmaker is for Before the Fire to be first and foremost a highly sensory film that finds moments of beauty amid violence, dispossession and injustice,” she adds.
“Through carefully composed static shots and hypnotic long takes, the camera stays close to those living through the consequences of historical and ongoing displacement, always with dignity and respect. The film’s visual language conveys the cold, the fire, the rage, the tension and uncertainty of the landscape, while also capturing moments of intimacy and collective strength.”
Imaz stresses how the filmmaking strengths of director Hoyos are demonstrated in the “rigor, closeness and trust” he has demonstrated over the past six years on the project.
“The film goes beyond portraying an Indigenous community in conflict. It is also the result of a genuine relationship between the director and the protagonist family, shaped through shared time, mutual growth and transformation,” she adds.
“The film’s visual sensitivity is deeply connected to Angel’s way of approaching the story. It offers a rare and intimate perspective on the preparation of a young woman becoming a machi within her family and community, while following Lilu’s own journey through processes of resistance, care and resilience.”
BarcelonaDocs 2026 comes at a crucial time for Before the Fire, Imaz tells BDE. “Beyond bringing us closer to festivals, we hope it will allow us to open deeper conversations with broadcasters, platforms, financiers, and potential partners who connect with both the cinematic vision and the film’s long-term impact ambitions.”
“As with previous pitches, we are hoping Barcelona will be a meaningful space for us, one where the project can grow in dialogue with the international documentary community,” she ends.
