Where the Silence Is Heard, the debut feature from directors Gabriela Pena and Picho García, explores the profound impact of silence and trauma. The documentary reveals how pain can be a sign of inherited emotional wounds, a theme audiences will encounter as the story unfolds.
A Family History Unveiled
The film centers on Pena’s journey to understand three generations of her family’s history, beginning with the story of a house abandoned in Chile during a period of exile. As described in the film’s logline, Pena “traces three generations of memory to understand how love, fear, and silence are inherited.” The documentary will have its world premiere on Tuesday, March 17, as part of the Next:Wave program at the 23rd edition of CPH:DOX, the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival.
Where the Silence Is Heard follows Pena as she renovates the family home and pieces together a past marked by the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, exile, and decades of unspoken pain. CPH:DOX describes the film as “an aesthetically beautiful story about inherited trauma” and “an original cinematic exploration of memories, identity, and what love really consists of when it is shaped by fear and absence.”
A Collaborative Effort
Pena and García, who are partners in life, jointly directed and edited the documentary, and produced it alongside Gabriela Sandoval and Efthymia Zymvragaki. García similarly handles sales for the project.
The filmmakers discussed the challenges and rewards of confronting their shared past and the weight of intergenerational trauma in a recent interview. The project began with Pena discovering a handwritten notebook penned by her grandfather after traveling to Chile from Barcelona, where her family had lived in exile. She later revisited Chile, began recording her experiences, and collaborated with García on the reconstruction of the house and the filming process.
Pena realized the film’s central theme centered on her relationship with her mother, understanding that the family home represented a search for a lost connection. García’s support was crucial throughout the process, providing both encouragement and protection as Pena delved into difficult emotions.
The filmmakers acknowledge their differing approaches to the creative process, with García describing Pena as “deeper” and himself as “a bit crazy,” while Pena characterizes herself as “ethereal, poetic and abstract” and García as possessing “strong ideas and [the eye for the] concrete, practical stuff.”
The documentary addresses the impact of generational trauma, a concern for Pena as she and García raise their own child. Pena expressed hope that the film will help break the cycle of pain and allow her mother to feel “seen.”
While acknowledging the political context of their family’s history, Pena and García prioritized the intimate experiences within the home, believing that “what happened in these four walls was vulnerable.” They recently relocated to Barcelona and are currently prioritizing their family, with their son becoming their primary creative focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Where the Silence Is Heard about?
The documentary follows Gabriela Pena’s journey to renovate a house in Chile abandoned by her family during exile and to understand three generations of inherited trauma, fear, and silence.
Who directed the film?
Where the Silence Is Heard was directed by Gabriela Pena and Picho García, who are also partners in life.
Where will the film premiere?
The film will have its world premiere on Tuesday, March 17, at CPH:DOX, the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival.
How does confronting the past impact the present and future generations?
