Benicio’s Dream

Benicio’s Dream” is a feature-length documentary offering an intimate look at the lives of three social leaders in Suárez, Northern Cauca—a region historically scarred by violence linked to the illegal economy and Colombia’s armed conflict. In the aftermath of the 2016 Peace Agreement with the FARC guerrilla, these three leaders launch an unprecedented initiative: an intercultural peace school.

Because of their crucial role in the lives of rural communities, social leaders have become the main targets of violence following the Peace Agreement. By December 2020, more than 1,000 leaders had been assassinated, with Cauca registering the highest number of deaths. This film seeks to shed light on this alarming reality, both nationally and internationally.

Yet above all, it is a story of resilience, reconciliation, and hope. It tells of the encounter of these leaders and the founding of the Benicio Flor Intercultural Peace School, a space for reflection and collective construction, named in honor of an iconic leader murdered in 2015 for his efforts to build a peaceful territory. Ultimately, the documentary aims to foster international dialogue around other ethnic and social conflicts. Visually, it is a cinematic attempt to make tangible what these divided communities share—above all, a common territory and rural life—whose recognition is increasingly being promoted on a global scale.