The new ruins
Manuel Embalse
ARG. 2024. 89’
An amateur archaeologist obsessed with e-waste records images and sounds over ten years. His research takes the form of a personal, playful and musical diary, crossing borders and archives. One day, he arrives at an electronic recycling workshop where the ghost of a working poet manifests itself. The search takes an unexpected turn and he sets out, in the company of his cat Pendrive, to explore the links between technology and memory. In times of environmental crisis, overproduction and acceleration of consumption, he wonders: how will history be written in the future?
Written and directed by Manuel Embalse
Produced by Joaquín Maito
Edited by Tatiana Mazú González and Manuel Embalse
Sound design and direction of photography by Manuel Embalse
Direct sound: Esteban Bellotto Kuzminzky, Alan Serué y Manuel Embalse
Sound postproduction: Diego Martínez (A.S.A)
Color postproduction: Daniela Medina Silva
VFX: Stefano Storchi
Graphic design: Tatiana Mazú González and Joaquín Maito
Assistant producer: Esteban Vijnovich, Alejandro Schonfeld and Florencia Azorín
Script mentorship: Nacho Losada
Voice over mentorship: Francisco Bouzas
Music: Lost Group (Alan Serué, Julián Galay, Gustavo Obligado, Franco Calluso, Pablo Reche, Manuel Embalse)
Production and distribution company: Antes Muerto Cine
With support of INCAA, Buenos Aires Youth Art Biennial, Berlinale Talents Latinoamerica, LABEX Argentina, TransLab – Transcinema, FIDOCS Docs In Progress, National Endowment for the Arts, Cultural Patronage of BsAs, Informatics Museum of Buenos Aires and Recycling Cooperative “Dignity and Work”.
Festivals
Documentary Fortnight: MoMA’s International Festival of Nonfiction Film and Media – Official Selection – United States – 2024 (World Premiere)
Rencontres Cinémas d’Amérique Latine de Toulouse 2024 – Feature Documentary Competition – France – 2024
Mimesis Documentary Festival – Documentary Block – United States – 2024
Best Documentary
Doc Buenos Aires – Our Reality Is Not a Show – Argentina – 2024
DMZ International Documentary Film Festival – Frontier Competition / Non Theatrical Program – South Korea – 2024
Science New Wave – Feature Competition – United States – 2024
Cámara Lucida Contemporary Film Festival – Foco Antes Muerto Cine – Ecuador – 2024
Festifreak – “Los Exploradores” Section – Argentina – 2024
Corriente No Ficción – Miradas en Crisis – Peru – 2024
VAC Foundation – Family Album program – Russia – 2024
Hanan – Puno Film Festival – International Exhibition of Feature Films – Peru – 2024
