2024 - 69th Edition

State of Silence

Estado de Silencio

Santiago Maza

Mexico

- 2024

Special screening

Estreno nacional

Journalism in Mexico is now considered a high-risk profession. Since 2000, 141 journalists have been murdered as a result of their work, placing the country among the 10 nations with the highest number of crimes of this nature. State of Silence follows four courageous journalists: investigators and victims who have risked their own lives to show the painful reality of a country mired in the war against drug trafficking. Santiago Maza's feature film stands as a manifesto that vociferously defends freedom of the press, currently under constant threat. Produced by the renowned actor Diego Luna (Y tu mamá también, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) - an undisputed figure of Mexican cinema and founding partner of the production company La Corriente del Golfo together with Gael García Bernal - State of Silence is a brave political exercise that will have its Spanish premiere in a special screening at the 69th SEMINCI.

Santiago Maza

Born in 1985 in Mexico, he studied documentary film at the National Film & Television School and holds an MA in screenwriting from the London Film School. Both in fiction and documentary, his work has led him to screen shorts and features at festivals in America, Europe, and Africa. His debut feature ‘The Thunder Feast’ (2016) won best documentary at SDLFF. He co-directed the Netflix series ‘Reasonable Doubt’ (2021) and is the director of both seasons of the documentary series led by Gael García Bernal ‘The Issue’ (2021- 2022). His filmography also includes the documentary feature film ‘El Baby’ (2017) and the non-fiction shorts ‘After the Earthquake’ (2019) and ‘Still After’ (2020). He is currently the director of the documentary department at La Corriente del Golfo.

O.V. in Spanish with English subtitles