In my top picks for this year’s Hot Docs, I listed With My Heart In Yambo by María Fernanda Restrepo. The film brings us the very personal story of how Restrepo’s family has had to cope and survive the disapperance of her two older brothers Santiago and Andres twenty-four years ago. Her life and that of her parents was never the same since then.

I was able to chat with Restrepo during the festival. She shared that the film is a ‘personal necessity’; not just to deny the pain of dealing with the loss of her brothers but also to confront it. This is in fact her first film and she made it out of love. She mentioned how love and memory can be very powerful and that is what propelled her in making the film.

The project itself took about four years to complete. Her brothers’ disappearance is part of the national history in Ecuador as it’s received lots of media attention nationally and internationally. We talked about how the film has garnered some prizes overseas, in Europe, and Restrepo is quite happy with the accolades. She stressed that this is not why she made the film and that she hardly considers herself a documentarian. However, she is glad the story is something that others appreciate, can perhaps relate to in terms of having lost a loved one, or even fighting for a cause.

The film has played in Ecuador and has done quite well there also. She has received a lot of support for the president’s office (Rafael Correa) and it is now going to screen in over 3000 schools in Ecuador. She has been busy going to speak at as many schools as possible, and also various festivals around the globe.

Restrepo continues to search for answers, as does her father and family, while at the same time making new memories. As she said to me in Spanish, “la historia se seguirá contando” (their story will continue to be told).

With My Heart in Yambo (Con Mi Corazón En Yambo) screens at Hot Docs again on Saturday, May 5th at TIFF Bell Lightbox at 9PM.