Frente de Fogo (Firefront): analysis of an epic story of survival

Abstract

Frente de fogo invites us on a multiple journey through the story of a Portuguese fireman who unbelievably survived the forest fires that devastated his country in the summer of 2017. Isabel Meira’s production is based on a very strong story and backed with honest testimonies. It’s the tale of a survivor and the tale of a surviving family. Frente de fogo tackles such fundamental questions as: What does one do in the face of an exceptional situation and a danger of death? What is it like to live in hell for several hours? How do you survive this? How can your family survive this? This review aims to analyse the narrative in Frente de fogo, pointing out its strong points and suggesting how to improve its weakest points. The analysis addresses mainly three issues: the categorisation of the documentary as a “production without a narrator” and the demanding nature of the genre; the reconstruction of a dialogue through editing between the two main characters; the creative treatment of sound and space in the piece, especially linked with the creation of an emotion and the rhythm of the production.