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Splinters

Name: Splinters
Director: Natalia Garayalde
Released: 2020
Duration: 70 min

Representation Score

8.1/10

Excellent

2020

Director

Natalia Garayalde

Runtime

70 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Splinters is a powerful piece of testimonial cinema that replaces official state records with the intimate, unmediated perspective of a civilian. It challenges the stability of military institutions by framing them through human vulnerability. The film's strength lies in its disruption of conventional historical hierarchies. By using personal archival footage, it bridges the gap between private memory and public history. While specific demographic markers like LGBTQ+ or explicit racial diversity are not confirmed, the commitment to centering underrepresented personal histories creates a progressive documentary profile.

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Category Breakdown

Does Splinters have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film focuses on a specific historical event and family testimonies. There is no explicit mention of LGBTQ+ characters or narratives that challenge the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does Splinters portray gender?

Good

The story centers on the candid perspective of a young girl. By positioning a female viewpoint as the main witness, the film challenges traditional patriarchal structures of historical documentation.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Splinters?

Fair

Set in Córdoba, Argentina, the film addresses the local impact of a military explosion. It critiques the socio-political landscape of the Global South by focusing on the state's power.

How does Splinters represent religion and culture?

Good

The documentary deconstructs official state narratives by investigating the hidden truth behind a military disaster. It prioritizes human-centric truth over the authoritative morality of state institutions.

Does Splinters include disability representation?

Fair

The film documents a tragedy involving many injuries. While specific disabilities are not detailed, the focus on horror implies an engagement with the physical and psychological trauma of survivors.

Present on Screen

Replaces official state records with intimate civilian perspectives, disrupting conventional historical hierarchies.
Uses a female protagonist's perspective to challenge traditional patriarchal modes of historical documentation.
Provides a meaningful critique of institutional power and state-driven military authority.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit evidence or verifiable data regarding LGBTQ+ representation and queer identities.
Does not provide specific demographic data regarding racial or ethnic casting within the community.
Does not explicitly detail the portrayal of specific physical or psychological disabilities.

Official Synopsis

On 3 November 1995, the Rio Tercero Military Factory exploded in Cordoba, prompting thousands of projectiles to fire and spread in the surrounding villages, in a tragedy that would leave seven dead and hundreds injured and affected. At the time, Natalia Garayalde was a twelve-year-old girl who lived with her family near the place, and he was still playing filming with the video camera her father had bought, when she recorded the immediate moments of the burst, while her family escaped the explosions, as well as the daily activities of the village in the days and weeks that follow. Twenty-five years later, that material captured from a girl's candid and surprised gaze it becomes a thoughtful and painful testimony about the family, the destruction of a city, the traces of horror, the sinister truth about the case.

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