ABOUT COMPARSA
A new kind of superhero story
Comparsa fully immerses audiences in the intense world of Ciudad Peronia, Guatemala, where sisters Lesli and Lupe use art and performance to inspire local youth and heal deep wounds.
After 41 girls are killed in a State-run “Safe Home” and the government refuses to act, the sisters respond with a community comparsa—an exuberant street performance featuring towering puppets, fire-breathing stilt walkers, and thundering drums. With brave vulnerability, they expose a system that permits and commits violence against women, and they open up about surviving violence in their own home.
Their youth movement takes to the streets, confronting corruption and reclaiming public space for women and girls. Rooting their efforts in joy and community care, they find healing for themselves along the way.
A collaborative approach
Comparsa is built on a 17-year relationship between the participants and the film team to offer a stirring portrait of sisterhood, peacebuilding, and the transformational power of art.
Drawing on shared backgrounds as theater-makers and storytellers, the team devised a participatory approach to production. This has led to deep community involvement in every step of the filmmaking process. Cinematographer Edgar Tuy is a Kaqchikel Mayan filmmaker from the community. Impact Producer Marta Chicoj García founded the youth arts collective, Peronia Adolescente, featured in the film. Producer Anna Hadingham worked alongside Marta for 10 years in Ciudad Peronia. And film participants, Lesli and Lupe Pérez, are co-writers and co-producers on the project.
Lesli and Lupe's goal for sharing their personal story is to inspire girls around the world to use art to build a brighter future.
Credits
Directed by
Vickie Curtis
Doug Anderson
Written by
Lesli Canela Pérez
Lupe Pérez
Vickie Curtis
Anna Hadingham
Produced by
Anna Hadingham
Olivia Ahnemann
Doug Anderson
Vickie Curtis
Co-producers
Lesli Canela Pérez
Lupe Pérez
Executive Producers
Jayro Bustamante
Jeff Orlowski-Yang
Ross Boucher
Keele Burgin
Jill Carnahan
Saikat Chakrabarti
Christina Lowery
Sheri Sobrato
Michael McAllister & Virgil Seibold
Randy Gebhardt & Chris Gebhardt
Co-Executive Producers
Robina Riccitiello
Ann & Lane Ruble
Cinematography
Sebastián Lasaosa Rogers
Edgar Tuy
Edited by
Carolina Siraqyan
Doug Anderson
Javiera Velozo
Original Music by
Mark Crawford
Sound Designer
Andrés Marthe MPSE
Colorist
Lenny Mastrandrea
Location Sound Recordist
Doug Anderson
Consulting Producers
Inti Cordera
Larissa Rhodes
Fallon Young
Additional Cinematography
Jennifer Gonzalez
Doug Anderson
Additional Editing
Alexandria Bombach
Gustavo Vasco
Featuring
Lesli Canela Pérez
Lupe Pérez
Marta Chicoj García
Alison Barahona
Vanessa Chicaj
Lilian Cuevas
Sara Chicoj Garcia
Dalila Agustin Quevedo
Edgar Tuy
Mariela Pérez
Nahual Chicoj García
Suseli Pérez
Katerin Chay
Cindy Son
Linda Orrego
Karla López
Ashley Méndez
Angie Melgarejo
Mishel Méndez
Vanessa Lux
Angely Méndez
Madison Santizo
Byron Méndez
Pablo Ramirez
David Pérez
Estuardo Pérez
David Ramirez
Mishel Nájera
Sebastian López
Jefferson Méndez
Ivan Chitay
Ester Salazar
Emerson Méndez
Vladimir Chicaj
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