BURNING OUT/BRANDMEESTER (Netherlands, 2023, 85′)

Thursday, October 3 at 3 pm, Cinema Massimo, Screen 3

Event in collaboration with CGIL – CISL – UIL Torino

On Thursday, October 3 at 3 pm at Cinema Massimo, Job Film Days presents, in collaboration with CGIL – CISL – UIL Torino, Burning Out (Netherlands, 2023) by Dutch director Saskia Gubbels. The film, in its national premiere, tells the story of Amsterdam’s oldest fire station grappling with changes that challenge the firefighting team in an environment marked by traits that are still too patriarchal. The screening will be followed by a talk by Mauro Casucci (UIL Piedmont).

Methods of access: admission is for invited guests only. There will still be a quota of tickets available for the general public that can be purchased online and at the box office.

Direction and Screenplay: Saskia Gubbels
Director of photography: Niels van Koevorden, Gregor Meerman, Hans Bouma
Editing: Riekje Ziengs, Saskia Gubbels
Music: Alan McLachlan
Production: Tangerine Tree

Amsterdam firefighters are going through a period of change, and this creates friction and tension. The fire station in which they work is the oldest in the Dutch capital and they need a more modern one. The group is formed by all males except for the presence of a woman, and Gerrie is the fire commander who has to manage both the daily work and the relocation. Gerrie represents the old guard who watches with bewilderment a work environment that is no longer familiar to him. Work as he knew is slowly disappearing. Burning Out depicts, with fast pace and humour, a sensitive social issue in an environment that is still too patriarchal and sexist.
The movie shows the reason why changes imposed from above face such resistance. Dutch director Saskia Gubbels observes all these dynamics without choosing sides, giving voice to people who are often invisible, making the audience part of those lives and stories that are emerging from the shadows. National Premiere.

Saskia Gubbels (Netherlands, 1971) is a documentary director and researcher. In order to make her films, she plunges into poorly represented environments for months and sometimes even for years. The main characters of her movies are: deaf children, psychiatric patients, convicts, funeral parlours managers. Her films are based on a powerful visual expression. Moreover, Gubbels is a NPO Fund consultant and cinema professor who helps her students to prepare for their final documentary exams.

Filmography: Het gelijk van mijn tante (mf doc, 2007), De zee lacht me toe (mf doc, 2009), Azza (sf doc, 2010), Scènes uit het omgangshuis (2010, doc), Through Ellen’s Ears (sf doc, 2011), When I Look in the Mirror (sf doc, 2012, ), 0,8 Amps of Happiness (sf doc, 2014), Dear Jayvano (sf doc, 2015), Naomi’s Secret (sf doc, 2016), Sheltered (2020, doc), Burning Out (2023, doc).