Among so many films focusing on the history of the drug crime in Colombia and even glorification of Pablo Escobar, dubbed “The King of Cocaine”, there has not been any documentary about the other side. ISABEL is a short documentary about a woman who was born in narcoterrorism, her family torn apart, and her long treacherous journey of escape from Medellin and final settling place in Cartegena. It also depicts her close relationship with her daughter who recognizes her mother’s identity through stories of suffering and survival. Filmed & directed by Louis Lam, December 2024
SPECIAL THANKS
Maria Isabel Perez, Sara Sofia Bernal Perez
and family
Awarded Best Short Documentary at the Berlin Indie Film Festival in January 2026.
“A moving and human-centered documentary that uses one woman's extraordinary life to reveal the personal cost of violence and displacement.”
“An intimate human story.”
“Lam allows us to understand the consequences through one woman's life.”
“The daughter’s understanding of her mother’s identity through her experiences shows how trauma and survival can affect more than one generation.”
“It is about memory, motherhood, loss, survival, identity, and the ability to start again.”