The perception and portrayal of firefighters, particularly in films like Ron Howard’s BACKDRAFT (1991) and the Irwin Allen blockbuster THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974), is limited to seemingly brave and macho males played by the likes of Kurt Russell and Steve McQueen, whilst the female contingent are seen as supporting and supportive, perhaps a little overly-disposable characters driving the narrative towards the spectacle as the fire is out of control.
However, the silent voice is not so silent when it comes to the incredibly challenging work that is inherent in America’s national parks situated in the likes of Alaska, Montana and Yosemite.
In the new documentary ANCHOR POINT, veteran documentary film-maker Holly Tuckett invites the audience to see what goes on through the perspective of two courageous individuals, Lacey England and Kelly Martin, who not only have a wealth of experience battling a naturally dangerous phenomenon that doesn’t read a Hollywood script like the examples cited above, but also talk of the challenges amongst their male colleagues.
An ‘anchor point’ (in a captioned on-screen definition below said title) is ‘a safe place from which to tackle a fire’ and there are some stunning images on show, thanks to a mix of digital and GoPro angles that take us to the heart of what it must be like to be in the midst of those wild fires that have impacted some of America’s most beautiful vistas, such as Yosemite National Park.
Anyone who has done a fire safety training course will know that three elements are required to start a fire in the ‘triangle’ – fuel, heat and oxygen. For Kelly Martin, however, the fire situation was very much a male effect when she testified over misconduct allegations at the US Congress, in which women were bullied and persecuted because of their gender.
It is a staggering revelation and the work culture of the firefighter will certainly continue to be under scrutiny, not least in terms of the very dangerous proximity that this rurally-based workforce find themselves in when a blaze or spark is near. England also shares some of her own uncomfortable experiences at the hands of her male colleagues, but she demonstrates a resilience throughout the documentary that would put most of them to shame, either in or out of the work context she is in.
ANCHOR POINT also gives a sense of the positive environmental effects of fire, particularly in Yosemite in terms of how oxygen from the fire helps to stimulate the ground and yields various new elements of flowers and foliage.
Tuckett has put together an educational, emotional and enlightening reflection of a world that is seldom seen outside of its locality, as well as providing some incredible spectacle of these world-famous places and locations, also giving a solid insight into the community and passion that people within those locations. One hopes that this film will inspire a new generation of women to become part of the fold.
The Paris International Film Festival plays online from 10th – 20th February 2022.
Tickets and info:
https://www.parisintlfest.com/
