Director:  Victor Martinez Aja

Screenwriter: Eduardo Mandiola

Genre:  Documentary

“La Quena” is a documentary film that explores the origins and early years of a collective established in the early 1980s by South American exiles and young progressive Canadians in Commercial Drive, Vancouver. It tells the story of a civic friendship sparked by Canadians’ genuine interest in Chile’s political process at the time, following a violent military coup that led to the persecution and banishment of thousands of Chileans around the world. The film traces the bonds among members of the collective back to the decisive response of Canadian civil society in the months following the coup, focusing on the work of public awareness and lobbying of local committees in Vancouver to allow Chilean refugees to enter Canada. 

“La Quena” depicts the welcoming attitude and reception by Canadians to politically committed exiles, whose central concern was to restore democracy in their country and denounce human rights abuses perpetrated by a de-facto government. The film uses archival records and in-depth interviews with key participants to create a detailed portrait of solidarity events, such as gatherings in halls and churches, where exiles and locals forged a friendship that overcame language and cultural barriers, using politically conscious art forms, resulting ultimately in the establishment of the collective.

“La Quena” also serves as a local history film about East Vancouver during the early 1980s, a time of major transformation for a city preparing to showcase itself to the world with Expo 1986, as well as marked by the severe economic recession of 1982 and the largest political demonstrations ever witnessed in the province of British Columbia. The film delves into the revitalization of Commercial Drive at the time, resulting from the arrival of large contingents of new counter-cultural residents who established a series of cooperatives and quasi-public spaces in the area.

Essentially, “La Quena” is a film about community building. It tells the story of the creation and early years of a non-sexist, non-homophobic space for women and Latin Americans. It explores the sacrifices and rewards of operating a cultural and political center and coffeehouse in a not-for-profit and cooperative manner for 18 years. It is a documentary film about the people who created and established the Canadian Latin American Cultural Society in the heart of one of the most vibrant, progressive, and diverse districts of Vancouver. It is a collective story narrated by its protagonists, members of a generation inspired by utopia and dreams bigger than themselves