State of Silence

Santiago Maza Stern

Activist Lens

Brave journalists in action in Mexico, where they are attacked, forced into exile and even murdered for trying to report the truth. In a country where drug cartels and the government are an almost equal threat, it takes a lot of courage to keep going. Inspiring documentary about true present-day heroes.  

Since 2000, more than 160 journalists have been murdered in Mexico and over 30 remain missing, just for exercising their profession. A staggering 99 per cent of these cases remain unpunished. This is possible because of what journalist Marcos Vizcarra calls ‘the impunity pact’: both the drug cartels and the government are threatened by the work of journalists, making them completely unprotected.  

So to say that journalism is a high-risk occupation in Mexico is an understatement. State of Silence portrays a wide range of Mexican journalists who nevertheless stay committed to their job. Like Marcos Vizcarra, who works in Sinaloa, a state overrun by the cartels. He reports on people who ‘disappeared’, gives a voice to their families and talks to investigators uncovering their mass graves. ‘Let’s go do some field work!’ as he puts it. During one of his jobs we see him caught in the middle of a fire fight between cartels and the army. Still, he keeps chasing stories and uncovering the truth. Because as journalist Daniela Pastrana says in the film: ‘Not going because it’s dangerous? That’s no option for a journalist.’  

Activist Marcos Vizcarra will be present at the Q&As for State of Silence at the festival.

Nominated for the Activist Lens award
All nominations

Talks

Q&A with director Santiago Maza Stern and activist Marcos Vizcarra

Sun 23 March
18:00
Filmhuis Den Haag
More info

Q&A with director Santiago Maza Stern and activist Marcos Vizcarra

Mon 24 March
20:30
Filmhuis Den Haag
More info

Q&A with director Santiago Maza Stern and activist Marcos Vizcarra

Tue 25 March
20:15
Filmhuis Den Haag
More info

Credits

Director
Santiago Maza Stern
Producer
Abril Lopez Carillo
Year
2024
Country of production
Mexico
Type
Documentary
Duration
82 minutes
Spoken language
Spanish
Subtitles
EN
Production company
La Corriente del Golfo