Colombia had a strong presence at the 76th edition of the Cannes Festival with two notable entries. The animated short film La perra (The dog), directed by Carla Melo, competed in the Official Competition, while the restored version of Amor, mujeres y flores,(Love, Women, and Flowers) by Marta Rodríguez and Jorge Silva, was featured in Cannes Classics. Proimágenes Colombia accompanied the Colombian delegation, and the Colombian stand received the Coup de Cur Award at the third edition of the Pavilion Design Award in the Marché du Film.
In co-production with Arte France, La perra is brought to life by Evidencia Films and June Films. The talented team behind the film includes Andrea Muñoz for animation and inking, Julián Arias, Gabriela Otálora, Sergio Román, and Paola Cuéllar for color and inking, Santiago Guevara and Pablo Quiroga for artistic research, Juan Camilo Fonnegra for compositing, Juan Sebastián Quebrada for editing, Juan Andrés Urueña for assistant directing, Juan Camilo González González for assistant directing, and Ana Winograd for production direction, among others.
Out of 4,288 films, the short film was selected as one of the 11 short films competing for the prestigious Golden Palm for Best Short Film, a coveted symbol of the festival awarded to the finest films in various categories of the Official Competition. Colombia only achieved this honor once with the short film Leidi by Simón Mesa Soto in 2014.
La perra received support from the Fondo para el Desarrollo Cinematográfico - FDC in the Short Filmmaking category. It also obtained the Animation Short Film Creation Grant from the Instituto Distrital de las Artes - Idartes and the Aide avant réalisation from the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC) of France.
Cannes Classics, a section within the Official Selection dedicated to tributes, restorations, and special screenings, showcased the restored version of the 1989 documentary Amor¸ mujeres y flores, directed by Marta Rodríguez and Jorge Silva. This section is divided into two categories: Tribute, which focuses on films and film personalities, and Restorations, which presents restored copies of documentaries and films from the international film heritage. The Colombian film was featured under the Restorations category.
During the 1980s, Colombia's flower farming industry experienced significant growth and gained international recognition. However, the reality was far from ideal behind the facade of abundance. The documentary sheds light on the use of pesticides in the flower fields of the Colombian savannah, as well as the working conditions faced by the predominantly female workforce. With an anthropological approach, the film captures the workers' testimonies over five years and depicts their daily lives. It is a pioneering film exploring emancipation, dignity, and environmental activism.
The film underwent a restoration and digitization process following the production style of the New Latin American Cinema. This low-budget approach finds its strength in solidarity and dedication despite economic challenges. Through a cultural exchange with the National Cinematheque of Ecuador, the film was digitized in 2K format. In 2022, Felipe Colmenares handled the restoration process in 16mm, including image and color restoration.
