A few months after witnessing the murder of her father, a woman crosses paths with a young man she believes to be his killer, in Laura Mora’s feature debut based on true events.
How would you react to the murder of a loved one? What would you do if you discovered the murderer? These are questions 22-year-old Paula must confront in Laura Mora's intensely beautiful and semi-autobiographical debut, Killing Jesus.
Paula is with her father, a professor of political science at a university in Medellín, when he is shot dead in front of their home. Paula sees the face of the hitman as he races away from the crime scene. After giving the killer's description to the police, Paula is advised to move away or hide lest the hitman saw her too.
Paula tries to forget her fear and sorrow by partying with friends over the Christmas holidays. Late one evening at a dodgy disco, she notices a terrifyingly familiar face across the dance floor — her father's killer, who turns out to be a young man from the slums named Jesus.
Feigning romantic interest, Paula seeks out Jesus hoping to exact revenge. But as they spend time together, Paula begins to lose her resolve as Jesus' humanity is revealed. Close, realistic camera work allows us to enter Paula's anxious and confused mind frame as she grapples with her difficult choice.
Resonant and compassionate, Mora's Killing Jesus illustrates how both Paula and Jesus are victims of a corrupt and violent society.
DIANA SANCHEZ
Screenings
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