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Logline:
Political and social awareness blossom within a roadblock in midst of chaos and violence of the 2021 social outbreak in Colombia. Driven by the idea of fighting for their dreams through art, the community raises “The Monument to the Resistance”.
Feature documentary:
Running time: 91 minutes
Country: Colombia
Year: 2024
Format: 2K
Sinopsis:
What do a young entrepreneur (Juan Carlos), a homeless guy (El Indio), an unemployed mother of three young children ( La Zarca), a social worker (Alejandro), a middle aged welder (Jhon) and a young street hustler (Bairon) have in common? They all believe in art as a tool for social change. They are part of the community that raises the “Monument to the Resistance”, to make themselves heard amidst chaos and violence during the social outburst of 2021 in Colombia.
Initially triggered by a proposed tax reform at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, countrywide protests quickly evolve into a broad call for justice, equality and systemic change. The government's violent response leads to clashes and numerous casualties. To pressure the government into negotiations people start to organize roadblocks all over the country, and Puerto Resistencia, the entry point to the marginalized neighborhoods of eastern Cali, a place renowned for its political activism, becomes one of the most emblematic points of resistance in the country.
Here, political, social and cultural awareness blossom. Driven by their dreams and hopes they raise the “Monument to the Resistance”, and the community celebrates itself. In this neglected part of town for many it is the first time to experience achievement, validation and a sense of belonging. The monument symbolizes their voice in a society that doesn‘t seem to care about them.
Directors' note:
We are a filmmaker couple, a Colombian and a German, and we call the city of Cali our home. In 2021, during the national strike and the following social crisis, we witnessed contradicting news and social media videos of horrendous violence in the streets. From our terrace we could hear the gunshots. We were scared, but we decided to pick up our film equipment and, without preproduction, budget or crew, to go to the road block of Puerto Resistencia, an emblematic neighborhood in the impoverished east of the city, renamed after the people‘s resistance. We wanted to know who these people were that risked their life for their dignity.
The initial investigation happened on site, where we were met with a lot of suspicion, as the community had been tormented by false media coverage and infiltration. It took a lot of dialogue to gain permission to shoot in this paranoid surrounding, where almost everybody was masked and in constant fear for their lives. Their courage and resilience impressed us. We were surprised how political, social and cultural awareness thrived in midst of the chaos. When we heard about the building of the “Monument to the Resistance” we knew this would be the leitmotif of the film. We are convinced of the general indispensability of art to political discourse and as a source of knowledge. Without glorifying violence or populist political discourses and away from geopolitical justifications, we want to share a different side of resistance: transforming society through art and culture from within the community.
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