El lugar más pequeño

The Tiniest Place is a moving film by an expert filmmaker. The director interviewed survivors of the war in El Salvador, who have rebuilt a small town in the forest. Yet the film is not a montage of "talking heads." Instead, the interviews are layered on top of images of contemporary life in the village. The two elements of the film, interviews and images, fit together seamlessly. The cinematography deepens the emotion of the words. And the movie is filled with emotion. The fear that townspeople felt is palpable. The images and interviews truly convey an understanding of what the townspeople went through. I could actually feel why a young person would want to go face death and join the guerrillas. Yet fear is not the only emotion in the movie: there is also hope. The joy that the survivors experience in the midst of their scarred present is intensely hopeful. And one woman's discussion of overcoming her depression is deeply moving. It is clear that we have a lot to learn both from the townspeople of Cinquera. I thank Tatiana Huezo for bringing them to us, and adding her own profundity to the film.