The Silence of the Mole (Spanish: El silencio del topo) is a 2021 Guatemalan documentary film directed by Anaïs Taracena. It tells the story of the journalist Elías Barahona, better known as The Mole, who between 1976 and 1980 was infiltrated as press secretary of the Guatemalan Ministry of the Interior. It was selected as the Guatemalan entry in the Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.
Synopsis Throughout the 1970s, journalist Elías Barahona, alias El Topo (The Mole), infiltrated the heart of one of Guatemala's most repressive governments. By revealing the story of this reserved and unique individual, The Silence of the Mole captures the moments when revelations from the past open cracks in the walls of silence of a story that remains hidden.
Release The film had its world premiere at the end of April 2021 at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2021 in Toronto, Canada. The film was released commercially on 2 June 2022, in Guatemalan theaters. It had a limited release on 10 February 2023, in Mexican theaters.
Accolades YearAwardCategoryRecipientResultRef.2021Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary FestivalBest DocumentaryThe Silence of the MoleSheffield International Documentary FestivalTim Hetherington AwardAnaïs TaracenaYouth Jury AwardDokufest International Documentary and Short Film FestivalTruth AwardThe Silence of the MoleSpecial Mention – Truth AwardInternational Documentary Film Festival of Mexico CityBest Documentary2022New Creators Film AwardsBest International DocumentaryLASA Film FestivalLASA Award of Merit in FilmCine Las Americas International Film FestivalBest Documentary FeatureAcampadoc 2022Best International DocumentaryLatin American Eye Sucre International Human Rights FestivalPukanawi AwardMajordocs FestivalAudience AwardsJeonju International Film FestivalSpecial Jury PrizeMálaga Spanish Film FestivalBest DocumentaryMacondo AwardsBest Ibero-American Feature FilmAtlantidocBest First FeatureIbero-Latin American Film Festival of YaleBest DocumentaryRosario Latin American Film FestivalHuman Rights AwardTrieste Ibero-Latin American Film FestivalSpecial MentionLa Plata Latin American Film FestivalSpecial MentionLatinUy Film FestivalBest DocumentaryIcarus FestivalBest Central American Documentary Feature FilmInternational Festival of the New Latin American Cinema of HavanaSpecial Choral Award of the Documentary Feature JuryGeneva Film Festival and Human Rights ForumGilda Vieira de MelloIzmir International Documentary FestivalBest Documentary Film2023Platino AwardsBest Documentary
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