Alis

Inside a state-run shelter for teenage girls in Bogotá, Colombia, filmmakers Clare Weiskopf and Nicolás van Hemelryck invite ten subjects to imagine a 15-year-old classmate named “Alis.” As they describe this fictitious person, some recount her troubled past and indominable nature; others, her sexual experiences, or their own romantic relationships with her. In time, “Alis” begins to take shape as a complex projection of their own identities, revealing intimate truths about the traumas, loves, and lives of the interviewed adolescents. In this impressively crafted documentary–winner of the Youth Jury Prize and the Teddy Award for Best Documentary at the Berlin Film Festival–Alis uses its innovative conceit to create an insightful and moving portrait of youth and resilience.