Bicentenario

From the very first scene, Bicentenario situates us in a singular space, at a certain distance from a historical event marked by extreme violence: the 1985 Palace of Justice siege in Bogotá. This assault, one of the most significant acts of political terror in Colombia, unfolds symbolically in Bolívar Square. As the attacks intensify, a man calmly feeds pigeons, undisturbed, at the heart of the chaos.

Pablo Álvarez-Mesa’s film approaches the bicentennial of Colombia's independence (1819–2019) with cinematic sensitivity and a metaphorical lens.

Because it whispers in our ear; because we walk the same paths once traveled by Simón Bolívar—the man who, two hundred years ago, helped emancipate the continent and secure Colombia’s independence—we feel his presence close by and wonder: what would he say about Colombia today? The anti-colonial and independence struggle he once led has now morphed into clashes between guerrillas, armed groups, and threats against environmental defenders—a violence far removed from the dreams he surely held. Meanwhile, a few people continue feeding pigeons in the midst of the chaos.

Sylvie Lapointe
Filmmaker