This municipality, located in the department of Huila, was a fundamental part of the series ‘La Guerra de las Gallinas’, which seeks to present another version of the armed conflict in Colombia and which will be part of a report that will be delivered to the Truth Commission.
Newspaper of Huila, Huila
By: Gloria Camargo
The story of the peasant grandmother who is forced to leave her plot displaced with only a few chickens, is the central axis of a television series that consists of eight chapters and that was titled by its director Cenuver Giraldo as ‘The War of the Chickens’.
The most interesting thing is that the series was recorded with cell phones and stars Flor María Osorio, a victim of the armed conflict who lives in commune seven of Ibagué, however it was recorded in the municipality of Tarqui, Huila.
The production of the series was in charge of the Art-Quimia Corporation and was supported by the Commission for the Clarification of the Truth and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The “Children of Truth” strategy, implemented by these entities, seeks that young people from different communities disseminate the final report of the Truth Commission.
Opit list
According to Giraldo, he was inspired by the testimonial chapter of the Final Report for the Clarification of the Truth in Colombia to create this production. And in the chapter, the story of a peasant grandmother is described who, because of the armed conflict, is forced to leave her land with just a few chickens.
The cast of the series is made up of young people, indigenous people, victims of the conflict, peasants and boys and girls from rural areas of Algeciras, Pitalito and Tarqui, Huila. The important participation of Marco Prieto, Marcelo Guzmán, Marby Mendoza, Fabian Tapia, Milena Gil, Karla Tole, Mayid Triana, Shamir Rodríguez, Alejandra León and Diógenes Moreno, among others, was also highlighted.
It should be remembered that the production was divided into two parts. First, the report of the Truth Commission was shared with the communities of Chaparral, Ataco, Rioblanco and Planadas, to collect their appreciations and feelings. Then, the script for the series was built, inspired by the testimonial chapter of the report.
The testimonials
The series whose main characteristic is that it was recorded with cell phones portrays the armed conflict in Colombia, which has been one of the most complex and painful events in the country’s history.
Though over the years, countless accounts have been produced, both from the point of view of the perpetrators and the victims, that have left a deep mark on society.
‘The Chicken War’ aims to show the other side of the armed conflict in Colombia, through real testimonies from the victims.
“There, precisely in those testimonies, the real events are captured, which can mean more than the thousand pages that the report has. Representing these stories through images can give us a better understanding of the conflict,” said the director.
Giraldo highlighted that the participants in the series are victims of the conflict, including young people, LGBTI, indigenous people, peasants and ex-combatants. It is important to him that the stories of the victims are known, many of which have yet to be told.
And he added that this production focuses on the chapter of the report of the Truth Commission “When the birds did not sing.”
The production took place in the municipality of Tarqui, Huila, and it was a difficult process due to the representation of painful events for the country. Giraldo confessed that remembering the conflict through the image moved him but at the same time, it helped in the healing process.
The series has been very well received by the public and has generated great interest in Colombian society. In addition, she has been praised for her innovative approach to production and her aim to give victims of the conflict a voice.
“The Chicken War” is a valuable contribution to the collective memory of Colombia and a way to honor the victims of the armed conflict. The series demonstrates that, through creativity and collaboration, it is possible to tell important stories that have been ignored for too long.