The Meltdown

Çöküş / El Deshielo

DCP / Color / 108’
Spanish, German, English; with Turkish and English Subtitles
Chile, United States, Spain, Mexico, 2026

Director: Manuela Martelli
Screenplay: Manuela Martelli
Cinematography: Benjamín Echazarreta
Editing: Yibrán Asuad
Cast: Maya O’rourke, Maia Rae Domagala, Paulina Urrutia, Saskia Rosendahl, Jakub Gierszal, Mauricio Pešutić
Producer: Ronda Cine (Chili), Cinema Inutile (USA), Wood Producciones (Chili)
Production: Ronda Cine, Cinema Inutile, Wood Producciones
Distribution Rights for Türkiye: Chantier

Synopsis

Set in 1992 post-dictatorship Chile, The Meltdown is an allegory of confronting the past using powerful metaphors and exquisite cinematography in creating an eerie atmosphere. The story follows nine-year-old Inés (Maya O’Rourke). While her family is busy transporting a massive iceberg to the Seville Expo as a symbol of Chile, Inés is sent to stay with her grandparents at their remote ski resort in the Andes Mountains. There, she forms a close bond with Hanna (Maia Rae Domagala), a 15-year-old German skier staying at the hotel to train with her team. However, when Hanna suddenly and mysteriously vanishes into the night, the search to find her unearths dark political fractures including the displacement of indigenous lands. Melting iceberg and the “missing girl” plot are used as metaphors for Chile’s dictatorship-era forced disappearances, symbolizing the country’s desperate attempt to sweep its historic trauma under the rug. Following her successful debut feature 1976, Manuela Martelli once again emphasizes the sharp contrast between the violence of the Pinochet regime and the sheltered lifestyle of the Chilean elites with an understated demeanor. The Meltdown, which made its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival, has been selected as Chile’s official Oscar entry.

Screenings