If the city of Lima was covered in dust, nobody would see it.

It is not, really, but all the same hardly anybody sees it or thinks about it, about its people cheated century after century and neglected by its rulers.

In order to come out of oblivion, there needs to be an earthquake grade 8 on the Richter scale or - as it has just happened - a discovery, in the most desolate mountains in Peru, of one of the largest mass graves in the history of the dirty war between the Peruvian army and the guerrilla movement Shining Path.

In 'Oblivion' (El Olvido) Lima could be any other Latin American city. Terrible things hide under its soil or in its streets full of carbon monoxide, in its bars, schools, hospitals and neighborhoods; but the country is not a hot item.

David Gutierrez

As the memory of the past is one of the topics which runs through most of my films, I intended, with 'Oblivion', to celebrate, in a poetic manner, this forgotten city and its people.

A few years ago, a young man who worked as a waiter in an elegant restaurant gave me the inspiration to attempt to discover my city. This young man, who I recognized after so many years away from Peru, told me how he managed to overcome with a smile the contempt he was exposed to at work. Others do it by making fun, quietly, of the class which oppresses them, remembering with pride that they have survived both economical crisis and terror organized by right and left (others entertain car drivers with pirouettes while they wait for a few coins).

'Oblivion' doesn't scream, it whispers. 'Oblivion' doesn't sob; it just cries.

In 'El Olvido' a bird flies over this forgotten city and stops here and there; it flies again and finally becomes a crystal ball that a young man keeps in perfect balance, challenging anonymity.

- Heddy Honigmann

Trailer El Olvido

CREDITS

  • a film by HEDDY HONIGMANN
  • with
    • JORGE KANASHIRO
    • LUIS CERNA
    • DAVID GUTIÉRREZ
    • LUCÍA RUIZ
    • DANIEL GUTIÉRREZ GRADOS
    • ADOLFO CHÁVEZ
    • MAURO GÓMEZ
    • and many others
  • directed by HEDDY HONIGMANN
  • written by HEDDY HONIGMANN
    • in collaboration with
    • JUDITH VRERIKS
    • SONIA GOLDENBERG
  • edited by DANNIEL DANNIEL & JESSICA DE KONING
  • research HEDDY HONIGMANN & SONIA GOLDENBERG
  • assistant director ESTER GOULD
  • photography ADRI SCHOVER N.S.C.
  • camera assistant MARCOS CAMACHO
  • sound PIOTR VAN DIJK
  • dubbing mixer HUGO DIJKSTAL
  • associate producer JUDITH VRERIKS
  • line producer Lima GUSTAVO SÁNCHEZ
  • production assistants Lima JULIAN TORES & ESTHER AYARZA
  • production IKON TV MARGIE MONFILS & BARBARA WIESING
  • commision editors MARGJE DE KONING (IKON) & ANNE EVEN (ZDF-Arte)
  • produced by CARMEN COBOS