Chronicle of an Escape

The events take place on 23 November 1977, within Argentina's last civil-military dictatorship. The period is marked by disappearances, secret detentions, and widespread torture used to extract information or silence dissent. The looming threat of death flights and forced transfers heightens the prisoners' sense of peril and urgency.

The action unfolds in Morón, a suburb of Buenos Aires, centered around the dilapidated detention center Mansión Seré. The house-type facility sits on the edge of the city, reflecting the clandestine, state-controlled environment of the era. Its decaying rooms and cramped spaces underscore the brutality of political imprisonment during the dictatorship.

🪖 Torture

Tamburrini endures daily torture at Mansión Seré, pressed by guards to reveal information he does not possess. His innocence contrasts starkly with the regime’s brutality, revealing how fear can distort truth. He confronts a moral dilemma: betray others to possibly save himself, or stay loyal and endure the consequences. The sequence builds a stark portrait of resilience under systematic oppression.

🗝️ Escape

After months of captivity, Tamburrini and three fellow detainees attempt a perilous night escape during a thunderstorm. They move through the suburbs with only their wits and a shared will to survive, aware of the risks from searchers and the unknown outside. The flight marks a turning point from victimhood to agency, even as danger remains imminent. Their daring act embodies the human urge for freedom against an authoritarian regime.

🫂 Solidarity

The captives’ bond becomes their strongest resource as fear and manipulation test trust. When Guillermo admits his role and others weigh their choices, the film explores moral gray areas in desperate times. Small acts of support and mutual protection help sustain them through the ordeal. The group's cooperation during the escape highlights the importance of solidarity under oppression.

📚 Memory

Tamburrini’s later decision to write the book that the film bases itself on turns personal trauma into a public testament. The narrative preserves the memory of those who suffered, ensuring their experiences are not erased by time. The act of documenting what happened becomes a form of resistance against forgetting. The film thus threads personal courage with historical remembrance.