Memories of a Dreamer
Photographed by: Felipe Rodriguez
Running Time: 50 minutes
Filmed in: Canada, Chile, Italy
At the age of 16, Félix Mora joined the ranks of Chile's Socialist Party and became a member of the Socialist Youth.
Seven years later, after a violent coup d'etat in which General Augusto Pinochet seized power, Felix's life changed drastically. On his way home to celebrate his birthday, young idealist Félix was arrested, becoming one more victim of the brutal totalitarianism of the Pinochet regime.
More than 30 years after his arrest, Félix travels to his native land to reconcile with the past. Searching deep into the darkest memories of his life, he chronicles the sequence of events that led to his unjust detention.
He painfully recounts the long and endless days of non-stop interrogation and torture, providing appalling details of what he suffered at the hands of Pinochet.
Exile was meant to silence those who fought the regime. For Félix, exile became a catalyst to fight for freedom and democracy.
Escaping to Italy first, he then settled in Canada and resumed the struggle for freedom in his country.
His fighting spirit helped him cope with the psychological scars of torture. His kindness and determination were his pillars as he overcame displacement and adapted to a new life and new country, as a refugee.
Through this journey, Félix looks for the answer to the struggle that has been his life: Can he ever repatriate to his birthplace and belong to Chile again, or have the experiences changed him to a point of no return?
Félix Mora
"Making this documentary was yet another challenge that I have faced in my life. It is a challenge because it represented remembering events that were, and still are, painful; not only to me but also to my loved ones. Nevertheless, it has also helped me to overcome my past and, in a way, put closure to that chapter of my life.
"At the same time, I feel that this documentary helps in a small humble way to pay tribute to thousands of Chilean exiles that never surrendered, and whose devotion and solidarity towards their people must be part of Chile's history.
"Not all stories of political exiles are the same, but the feelings of pain, struggle and injustice are common factors that unite us. Consequently, these memories are not only personal; but they belong to thousands of dreamers that, like me, will never stop longing for a more righteous Chile."
Félix Mora
