“We can learn so much from intergenerational dialogue”: Antonella Sudasassi Furniss on Memories of a Burning Body

Ever wondered if your grandma has ever had an orgasm? Memories of a Burning Body is the fiercely original second feature by Costa Rican filmmaker Antonella Sudasassi Furniss, following Goya-nominated debut The Awakening of the Ants. Taking the form of a hybrid documentary, it poetically blends the stories of three women, Ana (68), Patricia (69) and Mayela (71), through voice recordings and re-enactments by actress Sol Carballo, covering their memories, traumas, sexual experiences and desires, as well as the societal expectations and patriarchal forces that shaped their lives. The result is a surprisingly candid and taboo-busting exploration of what it means to be a woman both then and now, in Latin America and beyond, giving voice to words never before spoken and platforming the experiences of the older generation too often dismissed, with as many moments that are irreverently funny as devastatingly painful to hear. It’s already won the Berlinale Panorama Audience Award in 2024 and has further been selected by the Costa Rican Film Academy for Oscar and Goya Awards consideration ahead of landing in UK cinemas.

The Upcoming sat down with Furniss to delve into the beginnings and makings of the film, the nuanced realms of womanhood, sexuality and ageing it explores through the lens of conversations with elder women, and how it can spark conversations about the female experience and how it is framed and shared even in the modern day.

Sarah Bradbury

Memories of a Burning Body is released in select cinemas on 15^th November 2024.

Watch the trailer for Memories of a Burning Body here: