Ashes

Ashes is an emotional documentary following Iliana Malihin’s journey of wine production in Melambes, Greece, and the challenges that she faces following a devastating fire in 2022. The short film takes a naturalistic approach in the form of a relaxed interview with Iliana, who tells her story of resilience and the power of community. Arguably, the film could have expanded its scope and included interviews from more people who were affected by the fire, but as a short documentary piece focusing mainly on the vineyards of Melambes, Ashes is an excellent and evocative piece of filmmaking that depicts the power of hope in the wake of tragedy.

Ashes succeeds in painting a portrait of a volatile industry, sensitive to the unpredictability of the elements. For Iliana, who has studied agronomy and oenology, winemaking is her life, and her passion for it is infectious. The challenges for her are clearly worth enduring. Director John Mathioudakis intelligently devotes a good amount of time in Ashes focusing on Iliana’s character before diving into the real drama of the film. Iliana is depicted as an expert in her field, and a trustworthy voice for the audience to listen to. The Greek countryside is verdant and expansive, and as she talks about how her business has grown and created new producer groups in various regions, the social impact of the business becomes visible. It does verge on sounding like an advert at times, and it would have been valuable to hear from other workers in the business to offset what could be a limited perspective from the top. Still, Iliana does come across as honest, and audiences will be unlikely to see her as an insincere subject.

The second half of Ashes is devoted to the 2022 fire in the region which lasted for four days, ultimately destroying 90% of Iliana’s vineyards. The feeling of loss is palpable, and the accompanying imagery of fires raging through the night are shocking. Mathioudakis chooses to focus the narrative on human resilience, as Iliana quickly moves on from the damage done to her vineyards towards community strength. From talk of community created Fire Protection Plans to a frustration with poor evacuation communications, it’s clear that the film is gesturing towards the role of the private sector versus the state. In a particularly refreshing moment of directness, Iliana declares that ‘the state must assume its responsibility’. Ashes ultimately presents a strong case for community solidarity as well as the importance of human resilience. In a particularly poignant scene, Iliana flips through a physical picture book, showing images of the fire to the camera. The choice to show Iliana turning the pages herself rather than showing the images full screen reminds viewers of the closeness of the fire, and how much it touched the lives of those in the community. It’s a reminder that while nobody died, the fires directly impacted the lives of the community, and their ability to continue together undeterred is demonstrative of the human spirit.

Ashes will provide audiences with a powerful statement on surviving hardship and the potential for regrowth following tragedy. The focus on community transforms the story from one of personal success towards the power of community solidarity and reinvestment. Iliana’s community learned a great deal from the fires in 2022, by applying their collective experience towards an initiative to support fire relief efforts in the future, something valuable can grow from the ashes and make a difference for the future.