Watch the brand-new poster and trailer for Alma del desierto (Soul of the Desert), the award-winning debut documentary by Colombian director Mónica Taboada-Tapia. After premiering at Giornate degli Autori and winning the Queer Lion Award for Best LGBTQ+ Film at the Venice Film Festival, the film has screened at major festivals including IDFA, DOC NYC, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Havana, and Rome, and it was nominated for Best Documentary at the International Cinephile Society Awards. Italy-based sales agency The Open Reel represents the film internationally.
Set against the arid landscapes of La Guajira, Colombia, Alma del desierto follows Georgina, a transgender Wayúu woman in the third act of her life, who knows her time is running out and longs for change. With nothing to lose, she sets out to reunite with her estranged siblings, who don’t speak Spanish and struggle to survive within Colombia’s opaque bureaucratic system. Amid old wounds, distant memories, and vast geographical and emotional divides, Georgina and her people reach a breaking point. The film emerges as a testament to resilience, a symbol of hope, and a fervent fight for justice.
Taboada-Tapia, an anthropologist and filmmaker, has showcased her work at TorinoFilmLab, Tribeca Film Institute, DocsBarcelona, DocMontevideo Pitch, The New York Times Op-Docs, and the Pulitzer Center. Her shorts Fidel (2012), Two-Spirit (2021), and Red Flag (2023) have screened at festivals including IDFA, Outfest, BFI Flare, FICCI, and Palm Springs. A nominee for the 2022 Macondo and IDA Awards, she also produced Causas Elevadas (2021) and served as showrunner for The Pleasure of Escaping the World (2021). She is the founder of Guerrero Films and is currently developing the short The Cedar and the features From the Hood and Queen of the People, with support from FDC and ANCINE.
Watch the trailer:
