11/08/2023
The film by director Iván Andres Simonovis Pertínez documents the injustices against his father, who was a senior officer in the Venezuelan police.
A young man had a passion for camera recordings for filming and documenting respectively. As the events in his family flowed unusually, to prove the injustice of the justice system in Venezuela, he decided to do so through a documentary dedicated to his father. Iván Simonovis was unjustly sentenced to 30 years in prison for the death of 19 people, killed in demonstrations while 27 others were injured.
The family members of the convicted said that "Nothing is done without the approval of the president". For these murders, then-president Hugo Chavez cut the bill to Iván Simonovis, a high-ranking police officer, without any arrest warrant. Even though out of 196 witnesses, none testified against him.
The scenes captured by the cameras during his stay under house arrest were put together as a mystery to make the film 'My Father's Prison'. Divided into four parts, the film begins with an introduction, then reflects on the time before the massacre, and the time after it, and brings the epilogue about the escape plot.
The house arrest was a great torture which was accompanied by some painful sounds during the filming. These moments are described with the words: 'In prison, memories hurt you'.
The end of the film announces the escape of the former police officer. He used to say that: "Even if I die during the escape, I will be a free man."
Even though Iván Simonovis was a person who did not deserve to live locked up within four walls, he was unjustly kept for 15 years of the 30-year sentence.
Director Iván Andres Simonovis Pertínez, who bears the father's name, appeared after the film to talk to the audience. On this occasion, he claimed that it took him a long time to summarize this film.
"I spent 9 years to make the film. The pandemic took its toll, so I had to postpone it a little."
Among other things, he also told how he felt when communicating with his father over the phone while he was in prison. "It was very difficult for Dad to express his emotions because he was used to hiding them. I called him on the phone and recorded the conversation with him".
My Father's Prison is part of the Truth Dox competition category at DokuFest.
By: Valona Hasani
Photo: Agon Dana
