To See You Again

For all those who search for a missing relative

This powerful account of the exhumation of bodies hidden by the state in Mexico, focuses on the work of three women united in loss, hope and determination.  We are introduced to the women as they share accounts of the last time that they saw missing loved ones.

To ensure that the bodies discovered in unmarked pits are treated with respect and are identified for families, these women insist on being at the ‘ground zero’ of sites.  In the process, they teach themselves about forensic science, methodically keeping a watchful eye on the grim proceedings.  They support and respect each other.  The contradiction of their hope to find and yet not to find the missing that they love in these mass graves is a constant shadow.

 At times, especially during long shots at the scene of the exhumation, there is an almost surreal and absurd air:  early hours arrival to don white protective clothing while a monotone speaker voice routinely updates on bodies as numbers being moved from table to table.  The white tents and barriers seen from a distance resemble something far less sinister, almost an innocuous music festival backstage area.  The calm resolution at the site is taken back to their digs as the women diligently compare documents and record identifying features well into the night.  Slowly though, the impact and pain of being a witness to atrocity becomes more apparent.  

The stoic determination of these women to hold corrupt authority to account and fight for the basic dignity of the dead while dealing with their own deep, personal loss is tenderly captured in this film.  The closing credit dedicates the film to all those searching for a missing relative, in acknowledgement of the huge emotional toll on those left behind. 

Written Denise Hobart