“9 reasons for not understanding each other”, the production of the Film Workshop of the Superior de Comercio, won the First Prize in Fiction at the CINE TIZA International Festival.
The cinematic talent of students from Rosario has been recognized internationally. The short film “9 Reasons for Not Understanding Each Other,” a collective creation of the Film and Audiovisual Experimentation Workshop at the Higher School of Commerce of the National University of Rosario (UNR), won First Prize in the Fiction category at the 17th CINE TIZA International Student Film and Arts Festival.
The competition, held from October 15-17, 2025, in Oncativo, Córdoba, attracted over 260 audiovisual submissions from 100 educational institutions in Argentina and around the world. Thanks to this award, the production from the Superior de Comercio not only stood out but was also selected to represent the country at various audiovisual and educational arts festivals throughout the coming year.
The winning short film focuses on Hache, a teenager who, marked by the nickname given to her by her classmates, feels ignored and silenced. The plot delves into interpersonal conflicts and the search for a way out, which leads Hache to make unexpected decisions and uncover the closely guarded secrets of this centuries-old institution designed to protect its reputation.
“This will require even greater exposure than social media, so their revenge constitutes a true performative act,” the production team explained. The students in the workshop explain that the work addresses “how rumors about a person affect them and how they respond.” They acknowledge that the narrative touches on contemporary issues such as the “telephone game” that arises in school, seeking to portray these realities in a “dynamic” way and with high-quality visuals.
The project was, above all, a collective creation. “One day we got together on the school terrace and started throwing out ideas, and that's how it took shape,” says one of the students. The workshop encourages brainstorming as a basis for building the narrative.
“The great thing about this project is that we rotate roles,” explains another participant. The students take turns working in sound, photography, directing actors, and proofreading. This allows everyone to experiment and try out what they enjoy most, but ultimately, “that’s the beauty of a collaborative project: that we can all do a little bit of everything and create a final product.”
The jury highlighted the team's creative ability to use the available resources. The Superior team believes their success is due to the strong subject matter and their skill in "presenting such relatable, everyday topics in a fresh way using diverse resources."
The Film Workshop is offered free of charge on Saturdays from 9:00 to 12:30 and is an extracurricular activity open to the entire school (grades 1-5). For young people, this space is a way to "break from the daily routine" and the "monotony of classes, studying, and tests."
“It helps you create a different space, generate something else, a more playful emotion. It shows you another side of school,” the students emphasized, highlighting the importance of artistic expression. The teacher, for his part, thanked the students for their serious approach to the project, even coming in on a Saturday morning.
The students thanked the school for the space, the teacher, and gave special thanks to their families. The team consisted of the Head of the Art Department, Carolina Torres; the coordinator of the art workshops, Nahuel Almada; and students Angela Firpo, Victoria Trecco, Valentina Jait, Lucia Garabello, Stefi Amori, Emilia Kofman, Juan Ignacio McCormack, Mia Giuliani, Olivia Allegue, Sam Muchnik, Felicitas Invaldi, Facundo Sulgati, Yago Leguizamon, Tobías Irurzun Navarro, Pilar Graziadio, Dana Natale, and Julia Espinosa.
In addition, Lorenzo Ficosecco, Lautaro Delmagro, Santiago Massafra, Pilar Sosa, Sicilia Sánchez, Camila Bernardi, Valentina Oliva, Laura Martínez, Alma Palavecino, Ayelen Álvarez, Lucia Martinez, Maite Robles and Juan Lopez participated as external collaborators.
Journalist: Victoria Arrabal