This film director Antonella Sudasassi Furniss woke up this past Wednesday with the news that her Costa Rican film “Memorias de un cuerpo que arde” (Memories of a burning body) is nominated for the Goya Awards in Spain.
The national-Spanish production competes in the Best Ibero-American Film category along with these works:
Agarrame fuerte (Hold on to me tight): Uruguay
Ainda estou aqui (I’m still here): Brazil
El Jockey (The Jockey): Argentina
El lugar de la otra (The place of the other): Chile
The Goya Awards (presented in February) are the most prestigious Spanish film awards, given annually by the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This 2025 will be the 39th edition.
Since its creation in 1987, these awards recognize excellence in the film industry in the country and beyond and highlight both great figures and lesser-known professionals of the so-called seventh art.
“I got a call from my Spanish co-producer at 5 a.m. because it had just been announced. We received it deeply excited, happy and with enormous pride. It is an honor to represent the country in such important spaces,” Sudasassi initially expressed in an interview.
Story line
Memories of a burning body tells the stories of Ana (68), Patricia (69) and Mayela (71), who never talked about sexuality with their mothers or sisters, nor with their daughters and granddaughters.
They discovered, at the point of impositions, what it meant to be a woman. After a childhood and youth full of adventures but also of repression and violence, today, after 65 years of age, they dare to reveal their most intimate secrets.
Why did you choose this theme?
“I think we have few references in cinema that deal with the subject of adulthood, sexuality and the very experience of being and understanding oneself as a woman.
“We live in infinitely conservative societies. The film, being based on real testimonies, allows us to recognize a macho and violent past. The film thus becomes a space for recognition and liberation.
“On the one hand an infinite happiness to know that people connect with the film and with the stories of these brave women. On the other a great invitation to reflect on the reality of adult women around the world. If it resonates so much it is because there is a shared life experience in both the positive and the strongest,” expressed the filmmaker.
Memories of a burning body, challenges and projects
Regarding the public’s reception, Sudasassi Furniss said she was happy with the response in Costa Rica. Although she acknowledged that the biggest challenge that Memorias de un cuerpo que arde had is the distribution due to money issues, both for filming and for it to be shown in the largest number of movie theaters.
“Even so, the film managed to reach theaters and sustain itself, thanks to a loyal audience that recommended it. We need a law to make films in Costa Rica that encourages investment, consolidates and increases the existing fund.
“We also need to facilitate distribution, support internationalization, and encourage the creation of audiences. In short, there are so many things missing, we are just beginning,” he stressed.
Costa Rica has a Film Investment Attraction Law
This facilitates the arrival of projects of this industry to Costa Rica. In March 2023 the regulation was approved that enables the benefits for investors in this sector to start applying the incentives defined in the Law.
Among them, total exoneration of income tax and any other tax on profits. Also, the refund-exemption of all taxes on the permanent importation of goods into the national territory for the realization of film activities.
Regarding her personal projects, the filmmaker is already working on Monstruos by Manrique Cortés. Here she produces and co-writes. “Many things are coming, especially personal and professional changes, but I hope to always be able to dedicate myself to filmmaking. It’s what I love and what I want to continue doing (…) If I had more time and, above all resources, I could write more. I have two other projects that I have not been able to develop due to a lack of both,” she concluded.
“Memorias de un cuerpo que arde” technical sheet.
Director: Antonella Sudasassi
Screenwriter: Antonella Sudasassi
Cinematography: Andres Campos
Music: Sergio García de la Puente
Editing: Bernat Aragonés
Sound: Sergio Gutiérrez, Alberto Blanco Madrigal
Art director: Laura Castillo
Executive Producer: Manrique Cortés Castro, Estephania Bonnett, Paco Poch, Antonella Sudasassi
Duration: 80 Min.
Cast: Sol Carballo, Leonardo Perucci, Liliana Biamonte, Juan Luis Araya Sánchez, Gabriel Araya Herrera, Cecilia García Pérez, Juliana Filloy Bogantes, Paulina Bernini Viquez
Awards: Berlin International Film Festival Audience Award – Panorama Section
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