Calixto (2016)

In 2016, the advertising agency Sancho BBDO invited me to write the script for a short film for their client, the Colombian Red Cross. They had an ambitious goal: to raise 1 billion Colombian pesos for "Casa Volver," a program aimed at annually assisting over 17,000 displaced individuals and helping them return to their lands.

Calixto was inspired by the shocking events that took place on the night of November 22, 2000, in the village of Nueva Venecia, located in a canal connecting the Ciénaga Grande del Magdalena with the Caribbean Sea. That night, 70 paramilitaries from the Northern Block killed 15 fishermen. Later, they arrived in the water-based town of Nueva Venecia, gathered all the inhabitants in the church, and, list in hand, massacred another 15 men. It is said that they killed many more while fleeing. The authorities, who only arrived the following afternoon, spoke of 39 people murdered. The inhabitants of Nueva Venecia, on the other hand, claim that there were more than 50. Many years passed before the residents could return to their homes.

The premiere of Calixto raised in one night more than what the "Día de la Banderita" – the traditional campaign of the Red Cross until 2016 – had achieved in all its years of history.

Calixto, and its message about the victims' return to their lands as an essential part of a peace process, reached the most important media outlets, social networks, movie theaters, and airplane screens. It even made its way to the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Oslo 2017, where it became evident that there are entities actively working to protect displaced communities due to the armed conflict and promote their return to their territories.
I wrote the story of "Calixto," inspired by the horrific events that took place on the night of November 22, 2000, in the village of Nueva Venecia. This village is located in a channel that connects the Ciénaga Grande del Magdalena with the Caribbean Sea. On that night, 70 paramilitaries from the Northern Block killed 15 fishermen, then arrived at the village, gathered all the residents in the church, and, armed with a list, massacred another 15 men. It is said that they killed many more while fleeing. The authorities, who only arrived the following afternoon, reported 39 people murdered, but the inhabitants of Nueva Venecia claim that the number was over 50. It took many years for the villagers to be able to return to their homes.

The premiere of Calixto raised in one night more funds than the traditional Flag Day campaign of the Red Cross had achieved in all its years of history until 2016.

The short film "Calixto" and its message about the return of victims to their lands as an essential part of the peace process reached the most important media outlets, social networks, movie theaters, and even the screens of airplanes. It even reached the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Oslo, where it became clear that there are entities actively working to protect the displaced communities affected by the armed conflict and promote their return to their territories.