UNFORGIVABLE

Genre: Short Documentary Film
Runtime: 35 min
Country: El Salvador
Year: 2020

Director, Screenwriter & Producer

Geovany was a ruthless hitman for the 18th Street gang and nowadays is serving his sentence in an isolation cell in El Salvador. In prison, he withdrew from the gang and joined an evangelical church that lavished God’s forgiveness on him. However, there is a sin that is not forgivable for either the gang or the church: being gay.

“The film of the year. A clear, humane and uncompromising window into the soul. Humans are complex beings. This film is like the core of a neutron star.”

Barry Jenkins (Academy Award Winner)

“An incredible piece of verité filmmaking.”

Sami Khan (Academy Award Nominee)

“Unforgivable is hands-down one of the best short docs of 2020. Was really moved to the core.”

Poh Si Teng (Academy Award Nominee)

“Unforgivable” is amazing and sooooo incredibly powerful. I hope everyone gets to see it.”

Ania Trzebiatowska (Palm Springs Shortfest Jury & Sundance programmer)

“Unforgivable is an extraordinary film. A story of human redemption through love in the most adverse conditions, told through scenes of eye-opening poignancy. Simply unforgettable.”

Jon Lee Anderson (Journalist and writer for The New Yorker)

“It’s that rare film that both surprises you with its unexpected subject matter and moves you because of its humanity. Truly special.”

Shane Smith (Director of Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival)

AWARDS

• WINNER – Best Short Documentary Award – IDFA 2020 (The Netherlands) – Oscar-Qualifying Award

• WINNER – Best International Short Documentary Award – Hot Docs 2020 (Canada) – Oscar-Qualifying Award 

• WINNER – Best of the Festival Award – Palm Springs International ShortFest 2021 (USA) – Oscar-Qualifying Award 

• WINNER – Grand Jury Award for Best Short Documentary – Slamdance Film Festival 2021 (USA) – Oscar-Qualifying Award 

• WINNER – Best International Short Documentary Award – Guanajuato International Film Festival 2020 (México) – Oscar-Qualifying Award 

• WINNER – Best International Short Documentary Award- Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival 2021 (USA) – Oscar-Qualifying Award

• WINNER – GABO Award 2021 (Image Category) 

• NOMINEE – Best Short Film – IDA Documentary Awards 2021 (USA) – International Documentary Association 

• WINNER – Ibero American Filmmaker of the Year Award – POY Latam 2021 (Pictures of the Year Latin America)

• WINNER – Best Short Documentary Award – POY Latam 2021 (Pictures of the Year Latin America)

• WINNER – Jean-Loup Passek Award for Best international Short or Medium-length film – MDOC Melgaco Documentary Film Festival 2021 (Portugal)

• WINNER – Special Jury Mention – DocsMx 2020 (México)

• WINNER – Best Director Award – Aguilar International Film Festival 2021 (Spain)

• WINNER – Audience Award – Aguilar International Film Festival 2021 (Spain)

• WINNER – Best Film from Castilla and León Award– Aguilar International Film Festival 2021 (Spain)

• WINNER – Best International Short Documentary Award – Doqumenta International Film Festival 2021 (Mexico)

• WINNER – Jury Award for Best Short Documentary – Menorca Doc Fest 2021 (Spain)

• WINNER – Second Prize “Ciudad de Alcalá” – ALCINE Film Festival 2021 (Spain)

• WINNER – Audience Award – PERSO Perugia Film Festival 2021 (Italy)

• WINNER – Jury Award for Best Medium length film Amalgama – La Cabina International Film Festival 2021 (Spain)

• WINNER – Senior Jury Award for Best Medium length film – La Cabina International Film Festival 2021 (Spain)

• WINNER – Best International Documentary Award – Discover Film Awards 2021 (UK)

• WINNER –Best Documentary Director Award- Discover Film Awards 2021 (UK)

• WINNER – Best Director Award – Loundoun Arts Film Festival 2021 (EEUU)

• WINNER – Best Short Documentary Award – World Distribution Award 2021 (UK)

• WINNER – Best Short Documentary Award – La Boca Erótica Festival Menorca 2022 (Spain)

• WINNER – Best Short Documentary Award – La Boca Erótica Festival Berlín 2022 (Germany)

• WINNER – Special Jury Mention – Mieres International Film Festival 2022 (Spain)

FESTIVALS

• Hot Docs 2020 (Canada) – World Premiere

• IDFA 2020 (The Netherlands) – European Premiere

• Telluride Film Festival 2020 (USA) 

• Slamdance Film Festival 2020 (USA)

• Guanajuato International Film Festival 2020 (México) – Latin American Premiere

• DMZ Docs 2020 (South Corea) – Asian Premiere

• St. Louis International Film Festival 2020 (USA) 

• RIDM 2020 (Canada) 

• Denver Film Festival 2020 (USA) 

• AFI Latin American Film Festival 2020 (USA) 

• Palm Springs International ShortFest 2021 (USA)

• AFI Docs Film Festival 2021 (USA) 

• Atlanta Film Festival 2021 (USA)

• Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival 2021 (USA)

• Festival del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano de La Habana 2021 (Cuba) 

• MDOC Melgaco Documentary Film Festival 2021 (Portugal)

• Miradas Doc 2021 (Spain)

• Costa Rica Festival Internacional de Cine 2021 (Costa Rica) 

• Moscow International Documentary Film Festival DOKer 2021 (Russia) 

• L’Alternativa Festival de Cine Independiente de Barcelona 2021 (Spain) 

• DocsMx 2020 (México)

• Cinelatino Tubiengen 2021 (Germany) 

• Ânûû-rû Âboro Documentary Film Festival 2021 (New Caledonia)

• Doqumenta International Film Festival 2021 (Mexico)

• Festival Internacional de Cine Invisible de Bilbao 2021 (Spain) 

• Sulmona Film Festival 2021 (Italy)

• La Cabina International Film Festival 2021 (Spain)

• Discover Film Awards 2021 (UK)

• Loundoun Arts Film Festival 2021 (USA)

• ZOOM-ZBLIZENIA International Film Festival 2022 (Poland) 

• Mieres International Film Festival 2022 (Spain)

IMAGE GALLERY

PRESS

CREDITS