Exploring “Hangar Rojo”: A Ponderous Reflection on State Terrorism
The Challenge of Representing Horror
The representation of extreme horror poses a perennial dilemma: how do we visually articulate the unrepresentable? This conundrum echoes Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah, a landmark film that suggests no image can adequately convey the depth of the Holocaust’s terror. Instead, “Shoah” relies on testimonies to hint at the void left by lost humanity. The focus here shifts from vilification to understanding our own capacity for evil, a theme echoed by László Nemes in Son of Saul. He emphasizes the inherent difficulty of conveying reality’s harrowing truths through film.
Positioning “Hangar Rojo” Within This Context
Hangar Rojo, the debut film by Juan Pablo Sallato, navigates this intricate landscape by depicting the atrocities that ensued after Pinochet’s coup in Chile. It invites viewers to acknowledge a brutal truth: no form of storytelling can capture the monumental horror of that period. As the coup unfolds, protagonist Jorge Silva, played with precision by Nicolás Zárate, is tasked with converting the Aviation School he oversees into a torture center. This sets up a moral dichotomy: to obey his military orders or remain true to his humanity.
Capturing the Unimaginable
Similar to Pablo Larraín’s approach in Post Mortem (2010), Sallato’s goal in Hangar Rojo is to depict unimaginable cruelty from a uniquely understated perspective. Larraín focuses on the sterile environment of a morgue, stripping away familiar tropes related to political violence. Instead of bombastic visuals of the coup’s chaos, Larraín instead captures the quiet, horrific mundanity of human suffering and death.
In Hangar Rojo, however, the setting transforms from a place of aviation to a vast, empty space filled with terrified, tortured bodies. This approach is less sensational but equally poignant. It forces the viewer to grapple with an incompletely rendered reality. By positioning the camera mere inches from Silva’s perspective, Sallato allows us to experience a fractured, incomplete world—a glimpse into the impossibility of fully portraying such profound horror.
A Stark, Honest Presentation
The film’s outcomes are chilling and methodical. The cold, black-and-white cinematography evokes a sense of emotional distance while offering precise descriptions of human anguish. This clarity is crucial in presenting what appears, ultimately, to be irreducibly unrepresentable—the bleakness and void that accompany human extermination.
The film’s significance lies not just in its narrative but also in its visual and emotional honesty. Through Sallato’s lens, we are reminded of the unspoken spaces—the “dead angles” of existence—that underscore the profound impact of state terrorism.
Final Thoughts and Film Details
Hangar Rojo is a masterclass in artistic restraint, serving as a reminder that some horrors defy full articulation. As Sallato challenges both audience and characters to confront their moral boundaries, he underscores the enduring lessons of history.
Director: Juan Pablo Sallato
Cast: Nicolás Zárate, Boris Quercia, Marcial Tagle
Duration: 81 minutes
Country: Chile
Through this poignant film, Sallato not only provides a unique perspective on Chile’s dark past but also engages viewers in a much-needed conversation about the intersections of memory, horror, and humanity.