Manuela Martelli: The generation that grew up during the transition is, to my taste, a very sleepy generation

Manuela Martelli, a Chilean actress and filmmaker born in Santiago in 1983, has expressed her view that the generation which grew up during the country's transition from dictatorship to democracy is, in her opinion, a "very sleepy" one. This statement comes amid the release of her second feature film, El deshielo, which premiered at the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in the section Un Certain Regard. The film explores themes of memory, identity, and political ambiguity through the lens of personal experience. Martelli’s work reflects a deep engagement with Chile’s recent history. She was a child during the final years of military rule and the early days of democratic restoration. Her first feature film, 1976 (2022), was praised for its intimate portrayal of the nation’s past, drawing heavily from her own life. El deshielo, released in national cinemas on September 3, continues this tradition by weaving together personal memories and fictional narratives. Set in 1992, the film follows Inés, a young girl left in the care of her grandparents while her parents travel abroad. The story unfolds against the backdrop of a politically charged era, marked by both hope and uncertainty. The narrative centers around Inés, who forms a close bond with Hanna, a German ski instructor visiting Chile. As their friendship develops, the disappearance of Hanna becomes the focal point of the plot, revealing the complexities of silence and complicity in times of political change. The film is described as unsettling, not only because of its storyline, centering on the vanishing of a character, but also due to its visual style, editing, and soundtrack. Martelli uses these elements to explore the lingering effects of a generation raised under authoritarianism and later shaped by the return of democracy. In interviews, Martelli has spoken about how the period between the coup d’état and the restoration of democracy was crucial in shaping modern Chile. She notes that this time was foundational, particularly in terms of economic policy and national identity. While the dictatorship was clear in its suppression of dissent, she argues that the transition period is more ambiguous. It appears as a moment of freedom and justice, yet she questions whether true progress was achieved. El deshielo captures this ambiguity, reflecting a political landscape where public discourse is less visible but deeply influential. Martelli’s approach to storytelling is deliberately indirect. Both 1976 and El deshielo draw from her personal experiences, yet the latter feels even more oblique. She attributes this to the nature of the transition itself, which she describes as a nebulous phase filled with unspoken truths. Unlike the clarity of the dictatorship, the transition seems to have been marked by a different kind of silence, one that hides rather than suppresses. This theme resonates throughout the film, suggesting that the past is not easily reconciled, even in moments of supposed renewal. Her reflections on the transition reveal a deeper concern about the legacy of political choices made during this time. She believes that the foundation laid during this period continues to shape contemporary Chile. Through El deshielo, she invites viewers to consider how historical forces continue to influence present realities, often in ways that remain hidden beneath surface-level changes.