Biabu Chupea: Breaking the Silence
(Biabu Chupea: Un grito en el silencio)
Priscila Padilla | Documentary
2020 | 82 minutes | Colombia
An Embera woman confronts the trauma of genital mutilation as her friend returns to their community to spark a healing dialogue among women.
Synopsis
Biabu Chupea is a powerful documentary that explores the right of women to make decisions about their own bodies, through the intimate story of Luz, a member of the Embera Chamí Indigenous community in Colombia. Years after leaving her ancestral territory upon discovering she had undergone genital mutilation as a child, Luz lives in exile—disconnected from her roots, but still trying to honor the cultural memory that remains.
Her only bond to her community is Claudia, a fellow Embera woman and trusted friend. Witnessing Luz’s silent pain, Claudia embarks on a journey back to the territory to engage in a profound dialogue with other Embera Chamí women about the traditional practice of ablation and the intergenerational trauma it has caused. Through weaving, song, and storytelling, the film opens a space for healing, resistance, and collective reflection.
At its heart, this documentary challenges viewers to consider: Are women truly free to determine the fate of their own bodies?
Reviews
“Despite the darkness of the subject, color, song, and notes of hope make this documentary a success and an essential testimony to a practice which, although dating back to colonization, still weighs as much as a curse on Emberá culture and on women in particular.” – Cinespaña
“Biabu Chupea subtly exposes the path they follow to reinforce their spirituality and explore their own beliefs about pleasure.” – Autour du 1er Mai
“A film that asks whether women have the right to decide about their bodies.” – Semana
Citation
Coming soon.
Cataloging
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Pragda subjects
Anthropology
Body Image
Gender + Sexuality Studies
Human Rights
Latin American Studies
Religion + Spirituality
Sociology
South America
Women
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival; Málaga Film Festival - Audience Award; Monterrey International Film Festiva - Jury Award; Bolivia Human Rights Film Festival - Pukañawi Award; Cinélatino Rencontres de Toulouse; Gimli Film Festival; LA Femme Film Festival
DIRECTOR: Priscila Padilla
NATIONALITY: Colombia
YEAR: 2020
GENRE: Documentary
LANGUAGE: Indigenous languages; Other languages
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adult
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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