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Comparsa fully immerses audiences in the intense world of Ciudad Peronia, Guatemala, where sisters Lesli and Lupe use art and performance to rally local youth and heal deep wounds. After 41 girls are killed in a State-run “Safe Home” after protesting abuses at the facility, the sisters respond with a community comparsa. They organize an exuberant street performance complete with towering puppets, fire-breathing stilt walkers, and thundering drums. With brave vulnerability, they expose a power structure that permits and commits violence against women, and they open up about surviving violence in their own home. Their growing youth movement takes to the streets, confronting corruption and reclaiming public space for women and girls. Rooting their efforts in joy and community care, they find healing for themselves along the way. Comparsa is built on a 17-year relationship between the subjects and the film team to offer a stirring portrait of sisterhood, peacebuilding, and the transformational power of art.
- Year2025
- Runtime79 minutes
- LanguageSpanish
- CountryGuatemala, United States
- PremiereSoutheast Premiere
- GenreDocumentary
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- DirectorVickie Curtis and Doug Anderson
- ScreenwriterVickie Curtis, Anna Hadingham, Lesli Canela Pérez, Lupe Pérez
- ProducerAnna Hadingham, Olivia Ahnemann, Doug Anderson, Vickie Curtis
- Executive ProducerJayro Bustamante, Jeff Orlowski-Yang, Ross Boucher, Keele Burgin, Jill Carnahan, Saikat Chakrabarti, Christina Lowery, Sheri Sobrato, Michael McAllister & Virgil Seibold, Randy Gebhardt & Chris Gebhardt
- Co-ProducerLesli Canela Pérez, Lupe Pérez
- CastLesli Canela Pérez, Lupe Pérez, Marta Chicoj García, Alison Barahona, Vanessa Chicaj, Lilian Cuevas
- CinematographerSebastián Lasaosa Rogers, Edgar Tuy
- EditorCarolina Siraqyan, Doug Anderson, Javiera Velozo
- Production Designn/a
- ComposerMark Crawford
- Sound DesignAndrés Marthe MPSE
- MusicMark Crawford
Comparsa fully immerses audiences in the intense world of Ciudad Peronia, Guatemala, where sisters Lesli and Lupe use art and performance to rally local youth and heal deep wounds. After 41 girls are killed in a State-run “Safe Home” after protesting abuses at the facility, the sisters respond with a community comparsa. They organize an exuberant street performance complete with towering puppets, fire-breathing stilt walkers, and thundering drums. With brave vulnerability, they expose a power structure that permits and commits violence against women, and they open up about surviving violence in their own home. Their growing youth movement takes to the streets, confronting corruption and reclaiming public space for women and girls. Rooting their efforts in joy and community care, they find healing for themselves along the way. Comparsa is built on a 17-year relationship between the subjects and the film team to offer a stirring portrait of sisterhood, peacebuilding, and the transformational power of art.
- Year2025
- Runtime79 minutes
- LanguageSpanish
- CountryGuatemala, United States
- PremiereSoutheast Premiere
- GenreDocumentary
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- DirectorVickie Curtis and Doug Anderson
- ScreenwriterVickie Curtis, Anna Hadingham, Lesli Canela Pérez, Lupe Pérez
- ProducerAnna Hadingham, Olivia Ahnemann, Doug Anderson, Vickie Curtis
- Executive ProducerJayro Bustamante, Jeff Orlowski-Yang, Ross Boucher, Keele Burgin, Jill Carnahan, Saikat Chakrabarti, Christina Lowery, Sheri Sobrato, Michael McAllister & Virgil Seibold, Randy Gebhardt & Chris Gebhardt
- Co-ProducerLesli Canela Pérez, Lupe Pérez
- CastLesli Canela Pérez, Lupe Pérez, Marta Chicoj García, Alison Barahona, Vanessa Chicaj, Lilian Cuevas
- CinematographerSebastián Lasaosa Rogers, Edgar Tuy
- EditorCarolina Siraqyan, Doug Anderson, Javiera Velozo
- Production Designn/a
- ComposerMark Crawford
- Sound DesignAndrés Marthe MPSE
- MusicMark Crawford