Talking to... Sophia Rubischung

“REBELIÓN DE LA MEMORIA” has been participating in IDFA’s Project Space 2025 since the summer. What has been your experience so far?

IDFA Project Space is aimed at projects that are in development or post-production. Even though our film is still in the middle of production, we have been able to prepare a first rough cut thanks to our close collaboration with our editor Jann Anderegg.

This has enabled us to plan upcoming shoots in a more targeted manner and to further develop the narrative structure at the same time. During the programme, we were accompanied by experienced editor Ollie Huddleston. We worked with him to fine-tune the cut, hone our vision and convey it to the audience in an emotionally resonant form.

The course spanned three sessions from June to September. In addition to insightful case studies and masterclasses, the mental health of filmmakers was also a key focus. The week in Amsterdam was dedicated to mentor sessions, during which we worked on our projects for several hours each day.

For us as a directing-producing duo, this experience was particularly valuable as we were able to develop the project together. In contrast to many other workshops, which usually focus on directing OR producing, this made it possible for us to discuss all aspects of the film with the mentors in a more holistic manner.

Can you give us any insights into the current status of production?

Joël Jent, the film’s director, has been working on REBELIÓN DE LA MEMORIA since 2014 and has established a close relationship with the protagonists during the five weeks of filming. The last block of filming is scheduled for January 2026.

In the meantime, the focus on our impact campaign has intensified. It is designed to support the affected communities in the Andes by creating platforms for dialogue and facilitating exchange with screenings. Our screening tour will be accompanied by psychologists from the region, who will provide information about forms of therapy and treatment options before and after the film.

In addition, we want to help local voices gain more attention nationally and internationally through a film workshop and a short film competition – in collaboration with the Social Science Institute at the University of Ayacucho. Our goal is to raise awareness as well as visibility for the victims of the conflict and to promote dialogue with our film and the impact campaign.

There is still a small funding gap, so we have intensified our search for additional partners by participating in numerous labs, markets and pitching events. These have been especially important for us in order to position the project well for its release, to anchor it internationally and also incorporate feedback from different cultural spheres. The input and feedback from these programmes were extremely constructive, and we benefited greatly from them, especially in the final phase of project development.

How did the collaboration with the various coproduction partners come about?

A coproduction with Peru was planned from the outset, because it was important to us to anchor the film locally. We found the perfect partner in Claudia Chávez Lévano at Amazona Producciones. She plays a crucial role in coordinating the filming and communication on site.

At the coproduction pitching event at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, we were able to secure partners from Canada and Mexico. We are now working with them to finalise the financing and distribute the film internationally. Our friends at Antipode in Norway are supporting the project with their extensive network and experience. It is very motivating for us to see how much interest and commitment our project is generating internationally and what kind of response it is eliciting in different cultural contexts.

What would you like to see happen with the film?

I hope that REBELIÓN DE LA MEMORIA will set an example for dialogue and mutual understanding in an increasingly polarised world and reach a wide and interested audience in Peru, but also in Europe.

In Peru itself, we want to use the film to encourage people to share their own stories and contribute to a more open dialogue. This is essential for the reconciliation process and helps to come to terms with the conflict. The civil war, which according to the latest estimates claimed over 91,000 lives, remains a taboo subject, while the Andean region in particular continues to struggle with its serious consequences.

On a global level, I hope that the film will help raise international awareness of the Peruvian conflict. Unlike the conflicts in countries such as Argentina, Columbia or Chile, the Peruvian conflict is hardly known. Greater international awareness is absolutely vital to ensure that the affected regions of Ayacucho and Huancavelica receive the attention and support they need to come to terms with the past.