Our Mothers

Guatemalan Indian oral tradition ensures that speaking brings existence by passing collective knowledge from generation to generation. Newcomers learn village history to preserve the remembrance, even of violent events, immersing themselves in intimate and sometimes brutal narratives. Winner of Cannes Camera D'Or, Our Mothers is set in 2018 as Guatemala confronts its violent past when soldiers who were responsible for the civil war and genocide of many thousands of 'disappeared' and murdered indigenous people, finally stand trial. Ernesto, a young, dedicated anthropologist, works tirelessly for the Forensic Foundation to identify the missing. A chance encounter during a victim's testimony leads him to believe he may have found a clue to his own 'guerrillero' father's disappearance during the war. Against his mother's wishes, he embarks on a quest for truth and closure.