“Simón”, the highest-grossing and award-winning film in Venezuela, nominated for the Goya and Forqué Awards

The debut feature film by Venezuelan director Diego Visentini. Simon, is the film representing Venezuela at the 38th GOYA Awards, where it was nominated for Best Ibero-American Film. The film, based on true events of the Venezuelan migration crisis, has become the country’s highest-grossing film in the past six years after also being released in theaters in the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru and America. Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Canada and Bolivia.

The film was also shown in Madrid on 13 September, where it became the largest screening of a Venezuelan film in Spain, with more than 1,030 tickets sold at the Capitol Cinema.

Where does this project come from? In 2018, Diego Vincentini The short film premiered Simon As a thesis for his Master’s degree in Cinema which he completed at the Los Angeles Film Academy. The story of the student leader who participated in the 2017 protests was so well received that the director decided to turn it into a feature film. After years of effort, the film premiered in theaters in April Florida Film Festival in Orlando and at the Dallas International Film Festival. Two months later, it was shown in Mérida at the Venezuelan Film Festival, where it won awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for Franklin Verguez, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Screenplay.

next to, Simon Won the Grand Prize and Audience Award at the Heartland International Film Festival; Best International Film (Audience Award) at the Dallas International Film Festival; Audience Award at Charlotte Film Festival; It was nominated for the Jury Prize at the Florida Film Festival. The film also screened at the New York Latino Film Festival, San Diego International Film Festival, and Los Angeles Independent Film Festival.

Its producers risk not being able to return to their country for fear of reprisal, but, they condemn, “Today, more than ever, Venezuela needs a voice“.

“I am one of the millions of Venezuelans who had to leave the country. I left when I was 15 years old. I have experienced from afar everything that Venezuela has endured I felt guilty for not being physically there to contribute to the struggle for our freedom. This film was born from this feeling of guilt and is my attempt to contribute to the struggle for our freedom.. “I want to give a voice again to those who no longer have a voice,” says the director.

The film reflects the situation he lives in More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have had to leave the country – 430,000 of them coming to Spain – in the largest mass exodus in the history of the Western Hemisphere.. The situation is exacerbated because, as the United Nations reported in 2022, crimes against humanity committed by the state are recorded in the country, including arbitrary detentions, torture and extrajudicial executions.

The State Institute of Cinematography (CNAC) in Venezuela warned that Simone may be violating the law Law against hateWhich can carry sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years. This tactic has historically been used to persecute and silence those who express opinions different from those of the government.

The film was written and directed by Diego Visentini distribution The film features Christian McGavney, Jana Nawarchi, Roberto Jaramillo, Luis Alejandro Silva, Franklin Verguez, Pedro Pablo Porras, Prakriti Maduro, Jose Ramon Barreto, and Arian Giron.

the summary From the film: After escaping Venezuela, student leader Simón faces the shock and guilt of leaving his country behind as he seeks political asylum in Miami before being deported.