Project description

La Mirada Desnuda is a short documentary that explores the memory of Colombian filmmaker Javier Mejía and his difficult, often confrontational relationship with Medellín in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Marked by extreme violence, this turbulent period became the historical backdrop for Apocalipsur (2007), one of the most iconic fictional portrayals of a city once considered one of the most dangerous in the world.

Through an intimate dialogue with a young filmmaker (me) who invites him to revisit his past, Mejía confronts the memories of a city fractured by urban warfare. La Mirada Desnuda reflects on the aesthetics of memory, the impact of violence on artistic expression, and the lasting scars history leaves on individuals and collective identity.

The film’s release expanded beyond the screen through an interactive online experience created during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing audiences to book tickets for virtual screenings and engage with the film remotely. The project also included a publication bringing together stories from people in Medellín who lived through the violence of those years, creating a space for collective remembrance and diverse perspectives on the city’s past.

La Mirada Desnuda was part of the official selection of FICCI 2020 (Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival) and received the Best Documentary Short Film Award at the Jardín Film Festival. It was also selected for numerous other film festivals, extending its exploration of memory, violence, and cinema to audiences across different contexts.