“State of Silence” (“Estado de Silencio”), the latest documentary feature from Mexico’s Santiago Maza, has won the Best Feature Award at this year’s Sanfic Festival in Santiago, Chile. The film, produced by Diego Luna through his Mexico-based label La Corriente del Golfo, which he co-founded with Gael García Bernal, stands out as a poignant exploration of the dangerous landscape faced by journalists in Mexico.
Other notable winners at Sanfic included Agustín Toscano’s “I Trust You,” which received the Best Direction award in the Sanfic International Competition, and “Our Memory” by Matías Rojas Valencia and “The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine” by Alfredo Pourally, both of which shared the Best Feature award in the Sanfic Chilean Film Competition.
In the Sanfic Industria, the festival’s industry forum, the top honors went to Caye Casas for “El Show del Gran Luciferio,” a follow-up to “The Coffee Table,” praised by Stephen King. Ana Clara Bustelo’s “Water Never Hurt” and Alejandra Carpio’s “Concert for a Single Voice” both won awards in the Ibero-American Work in Progress section.
What Sets ‘State of Silence’ Apart
While numerous documentaries have addressed Mexico’s dire journalist safety crisis—where 163 journalists have been murdered and 32 are missing from 2000 to early 2024—“State of Silence” distinguishes itself through its intimate portrayal of four journalists who refuse to remain silent about the toxic nexus of organized crime and corrupt local governments.
The film follows these journalists as they navigate extreme risks, with some choosing exile and others continuing their work in perilous conditions. Premiering at Tribeca in June and recently acquired by Netflix for North and Latin America, with Rosa Bosch International handling overseas sales, “State of Silence” combines rapid-paced interviews with a cinematic aesthetic that highlights the journalists’ extraordinary bravery.
The documentary’s climax features tense scenes with then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who dismisses critical journalism as the work of opposition party affiliates. This moment underscores the film’s powerful human element in depicting the perils faced by journalists in Mexico.
The inventive spirit of Latin American filmmakers was also evident in other Sanfic winners. Alfredo Pourally’s “The Fabulous Gold Harvesting Machine” documents the heartfelt efforts of an artisanal gold miner and his son in Tierra del Fuego. “Our Memory” (“Aullido de invierno”) combines multiple film styles to recount the story of victims from the neo-Nazi colony Colonia Dignidad. Agustín Toscano’s “I Trust You” blends real-life crime with documentary, fiction, and musical elements, leaving audiences to ponder the guilt or innocence of the film’s subjects.
