Synopsis
Throughout the 1970s, journalist Elías Barahona, a.k.a. “The Mole”, infiltrated the heart of one of the most repressive governments in Guatemala. In seeking to uncover the story of this secretive and unique individual, The Silence of the Mole, captures the moments when the revelations from the past probes the cracks in the walls of silence that surround this country’s hidden history.
91 minutes
2021
Guatemala
Spanish with Arabic subtitles
Written and directed by Anaïs Taracena
Director of Photography: Carla Molina
Editing: Pedro G. García
Production: Rafael González and Anaïs Taracena
Executive Producer: Anaïs Taracena and Pedro García
Production company: Asombro Producciones
Sound design: Eduardo Cáceres
Awards:
Tim Hetherington Award and Youth Jury Award nominee at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2021, UK
Best Jury Prize “Nuestra America”, DocsMx International Documentary Film Festival 2021, Mexico
New Creators Film Awards, Best International Documentary 2022, US
Best Documentary Award, the Málaga Film Festival 2022, Spain
“Gilda Vieira de Mello Award” Creative documentary, the FIFDH 2022, Geneva, Switzerland
Public Award, Docs Jalisco Documentary Film Festival 2021, Mexico
Jury Prize Award, Jeonju International Film Festival 2022, South Korea
Best Documentary Jury Award, Cines las Americas International Film Festival 2022, US
Best International Documentary, Acampadoc 2022, Panamá
Anais Taracena, director and producer with a master’s degree in political science. She has participated in programs such as the Berlinale Talents and the IDFA Academy School as an emerging director. The silence of the Mole, Anais’s first feature film has been screened in more than 40 Film Festivals and has won 11 international awards such as the Best Documentary Prize at Malaga Film Festival, Tim Hetherington Award at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2021, and the Special Jury Award at the Jeonju International Film Festival, South Korea. Her short films have been screened at international festivals and universities in different countries. In Guatemala, she works with Human rights organizations as a filmmaker.