When Everything Burns (2024)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

When Everything Burns around you, you have two options: stand up and fight, or let others deal with the issue. Isabel (Anabella Bacigalupo) looks to be part of the solution. But when she’s rejected by one of the local volunteer forest brigades, she must take it upon herself to make change. She’s just one person, but she believes that she can make a difference. 

In a really simple film that holds mountains of meaning, When Everything Burns most certainly looks to address the issue of climate change. Writer-Director Maria Belen Poncio doesn’t look to hide her opinion on the subject, and those ideals shine through in Isabel throughout the course of the short film. Is Poncio a tad aggressive in her approach? Possibly. However, I don’t believe that it hinders the film. That’s all I ever ask for in films that take a political stance: balance. When Everything Burns is balanced, and it achieves something that many other films of this nature are incapable. That’s a testament to Poncio and her direction. 

When Everything Burns employs dark, somber tones that never relent throughout the film. They help to tell the story of Isabel and the world collapsing around her. The physical darkness is perfectly representative of the metaphorical darkness existing in Isabel’s life. I almost want to use the word dingy to describe the sets present in this film–as if inundated by ash and residue created by a challenging situation. Poncio once again captures something brilliant as a result of her direction. 

Isabel is aggressive in her approach toward those that she believes are responsible for this ever-changing world. This makes her a relatable character, as she is often hot headed and impulsive. She’s real, honest–not some fabricated variant of what we see in the real world. While Bacigalupo is wonderful in her performance–and, while I don’t want to beat this to death, Poncio is the mastermind behind the development of this character and When Everything Burns as a whole. 

When Everything Burns is a relatively simple film, but it aims to shed light on real-life issues that have circulated the globe for years now. It’s not technically subtle in its approach, but it’s also not overly aggressive. Through balance, technical prowess, and a powerful lead, When Everything Burns flourishes, and will likely find great success. 

Written & Directed by Maria Belen Poncio. 

Starring Anabella Bacigalupo, Ruben Gattino, Natalia Di Cienzo, Irene Gonnett, Pablo Limarzi, etc. 

8/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING