UN CUENTO DE SALIDA | EXIT TALE

There are no limits to a child’s imagination. It runs free and can reframe almost anything into an adventure, even during life’s toughest moments, where all that is known must be left behind.

Daniel’s bag became even smaller as he heard his mother say, “Pack just the important things.” His dinosaur had a place in it for sure because it had been his most loyal toy companion for as long as he could remember. Daniel just had to be together with his dinosaur for his greatest adventure yet: going from Venezuela to Peru by land - a long, tough road for anybody, especially if you are 8 years old and have never really been anywhere. The thought of reuniting with his dad, who had been working so hard in Lima to send money back to his family in Caracas, made the tough journey seem well worth it. Daniel, his mother, and his sister Isa traveled endless roads, hopped on many buses, and hitchhiked in a few cars for 14 days and 14 nights. Daniel does not recall when or why, perhaps because he was too tired or just simply distracted to notice, but, during one of those days, he looked inside his bag, and his dinosaur was gone. He was saddened; however, he had faith that his loyal toy dinosaur found its way back home and was in Caracas waiting for his return.

The recorded testimony of Daniel, his own voice and words, guides the audience into a greater representation of the reality of thousands of children under forced migration. The story is framed by the journey from Caracas to Lima and ends with the reunification with his father. We witness the character evolve as Daniel transforms into the dinosaur that he lost during the trip. This serves as a greater metaphor of the consequences of leaving home and having to adapt to a new reality, experiencing xenophobia, and grieving the loss of a loved one, while creating a universal depiction of what it is like to be a migrant.

Written & Directed by Mariana Cadenas
Produced by Sarah D’hanens
In production with support from the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF)
Developed with support from the Pascal Decroos Fund for Investigative Journalism, ESoDoc, and Zorobabel