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Tempestad

Special mention of the jury
“The film director Tatiana Huezo achieves, in such a subtle and emotional way, to rescue testimonies which describe the profound injustice and corruption in Mexico. She puts a face to the stories of those innocent citizens that otherwise could have remained invisible.”
Tatiana Huezo
105' / 2016 / Mexico
Web: http://www.tempestadthefilm.com/
Spanish


Audience vote 8.59

A group of innocent people is charged with human trafficking and thrown into prison. The authorities announce they’ve dealt a blow to organised crime; the public is reassured. “Pagadores” are what the victims of such procedures are called in Mexico.
In her second feature documentary, Tatiana Huezo has a young mother recount her journey through hell: innocent, robbed of her liberty, she’s handed over to those for whom she’s being made to atone – in a prison controlled by the Organized Crime.
Tempestad is a road movie: 2000 kilometres by bus from Matamoros to Cancún, through a blustery, overcast, bleak country. Inspections by martial-looking men armed to the teeth, omnipresent fear. A country mired in an invisible war whose front lines are equally invisible. The viewer never sees the protagonist but just hears her voice. The images create space for our own imagination and help us digest the monstrosity of the account. When they create identification, they’re deceiving us, for they’re inviting us to think of other stories, other destinies. The film itself recounts one of these, the story of a circus performer who has lost her daughter. A necessary cut in a film of tremendous force.

Main Festivals & Awards

Berlinale Forum 2016

Director's Biography

Tatiana Huezo is a Mexican-Salvadorian filmmaker and graduate of the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica in Mexico City. In 2004 she received a Masters degree in Creative Documentary Filmmaking at the Pempeu Fabra University (Barcelona). A director, and photographer, she is a former member of the National System of Art Creators.
Her first feature film, “The Tiniest Place” traveled to over 50 festivals worldwide and has received awards from festivals like Visions Du Reel (Switzerland), DOK Leipzig (Germany), DOCS DF (Mexico), San Diego Latino Film Festival (USA), Belfast International Film Festival (Ireland), Viennale (Austria), Biarritz International Film Festival, among others.