Abuelas: Grandmothers on a Mission

Abuelas: Grandmothers on a Mission is a 2013 short documentary by the Argentine-Canadian filmmaker Noemi Weis.^[1] It tells the story and work of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina and their struggle for justice and truth. Abuelas is Weis directorial debut.^[2]

Background

The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo (original Spanish title Las Madres: The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo)^[3] was a ground-breaking 1985 film profiling the Argentinean mothers’ movement to demand from Argentinean officials to tell the truth about the fate of their sons and daughters who “disappeared” during Argentina's Dirty War.

Three decades later the grandmothers or "Abuelas" continue the mission to find their grandchildren who survived, were kidnapped, and illegally adopted by families within the regime.^[4] Noemi Weis' new short documentary, Abuelas: Grandmothers on a Mission ^[5] follows on their struggles three decades later.^[6]

Production

Weis developed this film as an educational tribute to the grandmothers who dedicated their lives to the search for a generation lost due to Argentina’s “dirty war.” Sandrine Crisostomo of Femcine describes the film as “an impressive testimony of dictatorships’ impact on families and on the strength of women’s hope through decades.”^[7] Abuelas: Grandmothers on a Mission is distributed throughout North America by Women Make Movies

Film festivals and Awards

Abuelas was premiered at the Female Eye Film Festival^[8] The film won the Jury Award from the International Competition at the International Festival of Cinema Politico in Buenos Aires^[9] and was nominated for "Best Documentary in the Social Political Category" by the Yorkton Film Festival in Canada.^[5]

Official selection also includes FEMCINE Film Festival in Chile.

References

External links

• Official Page
• Abuelas: Grandmothers on a Mission at Women Make Movies
• CBC Documentary channel: Abuelas: Grandmothers on a Mission