Victor
Director Alice Verstraeten, Cécile Verstraeten
Countries Belgium, France
Duration 49 min
Synopsis
In Argentina, between 1976 and 1983, the military dictatorship was responsible for the ‘disappearance’ of 30,000 people. Victor Basterra is one of the few who survived the régime’s biggest secret concentration camp, the ESMA. After surviving six months of torture, he agreed to produce false identity papers for his torturers. This included taking passport photos of them. During the subsequent three years of his imprisonment he managed to hide some of the photos. Since the re-establishment of democracy, these photos have become vital evidence for the prosecution of the military and their accomplices. Victor has become a key witness. In this film he retells his period of imprisonment and resistance. His memories constitute a living archive.
In Argentina, between 1976 and 1983, the military dictatorship was responsible for the ‘disappearance’ of 30,000 people. Victor Basterra is one of the few who survived the régime’s biggest secret concentration camp, the ESMA. After surviving six months of torture, he agreed to produce false identity papers for his torturers. This included taking passport photos of them. During the subsequent three years of his imprisonment he managed to hide some of the photos. Since the re-establishment of democracy, these photos have become vital evidence for the prosecution of the military and their accomplices. Victor has become a key witness. In this film he retells his period of imprisonment and resistance. His memories constitute a living archive.