January 14, 2025
Animation
History
Kate Mothes

In late December 2004, at the Republica de la Cromagñon nightclub in Buenos Aires, more than 4,000 fans gathered for a performance by the rock band Los Callejeros. The space was well over the club’s capacity of 1,500, while a number of routes were padlocked or blocked to prevent people from entering without paying.

When a fan shot a flare into the air—something Argentinian fans regularly do at large events—the pyrotechnic ignited the interior’s decor, comprised predominantly of highly flammable materials like styrofoam. The building erupted in a blaze that claimed 194 lives and injured nearly 1,500 more. With few available escape routes, little to no fire mitigation systems, and a packed club, pandemonium broke out at Cromagñon.

The fire quickly turned into one of the most devastating tragedies in Argentinian history. To mark 20 years since the disaster, a stop-motion short titled “LONA” poignantly memorializes the community’s loss. The title refers to “canvas,” like sneakers, and Malena Martinez directed and animated the film. […]

Source: Empty Sneakers Dance in a Stop-Motion Film Honoring the 20th Anniversary of a Buenos Aires Tragedy