Boxers, cockfighters, gang members and visionaries give voice to a vibrant barrio on the brink of extinction
John Urbano, 2008, 2010, Documentary, Panama, United States, 69min, Spanish with English subtitles
Award-winning photographer and director John Urbano’s stunning documentary captures the essence of two colourful communities in the heart of Panama City: El Chorrillo and Barraza. Nearly destroyed by the US invasion that took place 20 years ago, this “interim” shantytown is now being dismantled street by street to make room for skyscrapers for the new Panamanian wealthy. With clever camera-work—and under military police protection while entering the “red zone”—the filmmaker set out to record for posterity the beauty, culture, history, and the danger that exists in these areas on a daily basis. Boxers, cock fighters, gang members, street urchins, community leaders and visionaries give voice to the people of this vibrant neighborhood. In one of the film’s most striking moments, Urbano lands a phone interview with Manuel Noriega from his prison cell.
