A School in Cerro Hueso

This heart-rending Argentinian drama traces the unconventional schooling of a young girl diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

For biologists Julia and Antonio, finding a school for their nonverbal daughter, Ema, has been a challenge. After 17 rejections, one small institution along the Paraná River finally agrees to accommodate the six-year-old. But swapping the comforts of urban Santa Fe for the humble outskirt town of Cerro Hueso is no simple sea change; Julia, Antonio and Ema find themselves immersed in the ecological challenges of village life – and learning from the kindness and solidarity of a community that faces them together.

Taking inspiration from her own brother, documentarian Betania Cappato, making her fiction feature debut, shares an intimate and optimistic take on the challenges of schooling for families with children on the autism spectrum. Awarded two Special Mentions at the 2021 Berlinale, the unsentimental yet enlightening A School in Cerro Hueso is a moving reflection on family, friendship, acceptance and how the natural environment can open up our inner worlds.

“Sad and blissful [with] traces of happiness … A personal film with a very unique vision of what cinema can be.” – Shomingeki