Pirópolis

A company of volunteer firefighters in the Chilean port city of Valparaiso battle wildfires, and witness political and social turmoil of a more man-made kind.

As told through the eyes of the Pompe France fire brigade, a company with diplomatic ties to France, Pirópolis presents Valparaíso as a city under threat. The captain and his crew welcome Baptista, a French firefighter who has arrived to provide training on the wildfires caused by the eucalyptus forests that surround the city. But with social and political crises escalating, the brigade has to deal with violent protests. And they must also embrace the inclusion of women in their traditionally male-dominated environment. Nicolás Molina’s visually striking film highlights the terrifying beauty of the fires – hypnotic scenes crackle with tension as the team fight the flames. But it is equally adept at grappling with the chaos of a polarised society.