The Inferno of the Living

A teenager abused by her stepfather fights to rescue her younger sister, embarking on the search for her father and forging her inner strenght.

Mariana, 15 years old, flees her home in Santa Fe, Argentina, escaping her sexually abusive stepfather. After a brief refuge at a friend’s house, authorities send her off to a convent home for troubled girls. Searching [the countryside] for her biological father, hoping for rescue, she realizes that it is she who must save herself. Based on a true story.

Mariana, a 15-year-old teenager, is abused by her stepfather, Chano, a renowned folklorist. Her mother, Estela, who is 42 years old, denies the incident and protects Chano. Mariana escapes her mother's home, files a police report against Chano, and strives to reconnect with her estranged father to gain custody of herself and her sister, Magui. Despite returning home with the assurance that Chano is gone, Mariana is ensnared in her room, and her mother resurfaces, coercing her to retract her complaint. Mariana escapes once more, being discovered by the police and temporarily placed in a convent home. There, she meets Sergio, Juan's cousin, who pledges to assist her in reuniting with her father. Mariana embarks on a journey to locate her father. Mariana reconnects with her estranged, struggling father, Juan, and encourages him to confront their circumstances. But finally, Mariana sets off alone, finding the strength to confront the future.

Director's note:
This cinematic work is based on Alicia Barberis' novel and the result of a personal experience that has moved me to the core of my being. As I immersed myself in the novel, I relived an episode of sexual abuse that had remained hidden in my unconscious since my childhood. It was an emotional awakening and, at the same time, a call to action. I decided that I must create a film that sheds light on the vulnerability of victims and raises greater awareness about this sensitive issue. Our film not only explores the situation of abuse itself but also follows the brave journey of the protagonist as she struggles to protect her sister, searches for an absent father, and discovers various forms of healing on her path to self-discovery. Additionally, we aim to emphasize the importance of friendship and solidarity in an increasingly individualistic and indifferent world.