Valley of Souls

In 2002, after a night spent avoiding the dangers of Colombia’s ongoing unrest, José arrives home to dreadful news: “They took them away”, he is informed by his sobbing daughter; with this, he knows without doubt that his two sons are dead, their corpses disposed of in the river that provides the family’s livelihood. So begins a terrible journey, as José goes in search of the bodies of his murdered boys. Along the way, he encounters occasional kindnesses, the constant threat of violence, and – perhaps – the intercession of saints. With its precise portrayal of intense fear and grief ensconced in an odyssey that somehow remains disturbingly placid, Valley of Souls is a plea for peace in a society still rent by civil strife.