FILMING IN TIERRA DEL FUEGO, ANTÁRTIDA E ISLAS DEL ATLÁNTICO SUR
For a hundred years, various and diverse audiovisual productions have taken shape in Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur. The first film images were made by explorers and travellers, such as the Salesian priest Alberto María De Agostini (Terra Magallánica, 1933) or the German aviator Gunther Plüschow (El Cóndor de Plata, 1931), who arrived with their silent cameras to record the territory. Since then, Tierra del Fuego has been the setting for films as diverse as classic melodramas (La Tierra del Fuego Se Apaga, Emilio Fernández, 1955), ethnographic documentaries (The Ona People: Life and Death in Tierra del Fuego, Anne Chapman, 1977), B-class cinema (El Último Amor en Tierra del Fuego, Armando Bo, 1979), or author films (Liverpool, Lisandro Alonso, 2008 / Joel, Carlos Sorín, 2018). Even well-known Hollywood productions such as The Revenant (Alejandro González, Iñárritu) have turned to Tierra del Fuego for their films. In all cases, the attraction of the impressive landscapes and the mystique of the end of the world have played a special role in attracting these productions to these latitudes. In the Province Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur there are snow-covered mountains almost all year round; there are also forests, lakes, glaciers, endless steppes and coasts with impressive cliffs over the Argentinian South Atlantic and the beautiful Beagle Channel. In addition, there are cities with a solid infrastructure. And a monumental historical mythology. From its native peoples, the Selknam and the Yaganes, to the stories of cruel conquerors, adventurous explorers, solitary sailors and, more recently, the prisoners of the Ushuaia prison or the migrants from different regions of the country and the world who came to this land in search of prosperity.
The good news is that Tierra del Fuego has much more to offer its “audiovisual visitors” than just landscapes and stories. For a decade now, the province’s own audiovisual sector has begun to flourish.
Local actors and technicians have been trained and incorporated into the industry, providing support and knowledge to productions arriving from abroad. The province currently has two education degrees focused on audiovisual production: the Licenciatura Degree in Audiovisual Media at the UNTDF and the Technical Degree in Design, Image and Sound at CENT 11. These courses train young people with high qualifications to become part of the audiovisual industry. Besides, a group of independent production companies that provide production services and suppliers such as catering or transport have developed in the province and have become accustomed to dealing with national and international productions.
Feature films and series entirely made in the province by producers and directors from Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur have recently been created and have been awarded with national and international prizes, such as the film “Las Intemperies” or the series “Misterios Submarinos del Fin del Mundo” or “Presidio, Experimento Ushuaia”, among others.
Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego is the closest island to Antarctica. Ushuaia is 1000 km far from the white continent. No other city in the world is closer. Ships and expeditions to Antarctica depart from Ushuaia. In audiovisual matters, this province is also the natural base for providing audiovisual production and logistics to this continent.
For all these reasons, This province has now established itself as one of the main audiovisual hubs in Patagonia.
Weather in Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur
Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego has a subpolar climate. However, temperatures in the region are not as low as in similar latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, due to the moderating effect of the surrounding ocean mass. Cold and wind predominate all year long with an average temperature of 6ºC. In a single day, you can experience moments of sun, rain, and even snow. Summer begins on December 21st, during which sunlight extends for up to 18 hours. Sunrise is recorded at around 3:30/4:00 AM, and darkness falls after 10:00 PM. Although there are days with pleasant temperatures; they rarely exceed 25ºC. The summer average ranges between 10ºC to 15ºC. The instability of the weather in the area can cause sudden changes within a single day, so this factor should be considered when planning any activity. Sudden rains, strong winds, and temperature drops often occur after a few hours of sunny and warm temperature.
At the end of March, it is possible to watch the change of colour in the Fuegian forests. For photography and hiking enthusiasts, autumn is the ideal time to enjoy beautiful landscapes, where warm reds and ochres contrast with the cold blue of the sea and the white of the snowy mountains. Autumn on this island is brief and it ends in May, when most trees have already lost their foliage and frosts become more frequent. Temperatures during this time usually remain below 10ºC. Winter begins on June 21st, the day on which Ushuaia celebrates the National Festival of the Longest Night. The average temperature ranges between 1ºC and 6ºC, although winds from Antártida often cause polar fronts.
Source: Instituto Fueguino de Turismo
