For the short film The Cicada’s Lament – translated from the Spanish, El Llanto de las Chicharras – filmmaker duo and brothers Mike and Camilo Gutier build a cinematic docu-fiction around the ripple effect of political instability in Colombia. Capturing the struggles of adolescence against the country’s social vulnerabilities, the film centers two orphaned brothers Otaro and Salvador in a fictional rural town, as they fight to stay together and maintain freedom against the threat of paramilitary control.

Framing the breathtaking natural landscapes of Colombia under the shadow of its conflicts, The Cicada’s Lament seeks to highlight human stories shaped by a system that fractures families, and narrows futures. Reflecting a truth that resonates across vulnerable regions of the world, Mike and Camilo Gutier narrow in on the escapism and security found in the brothers’ connection and adventures – illustrating the impact of violence on this sense of normality and the spirit of youth.