The Path of the Shadows, A Momentous Latin Film about the Civil War of El Salvador

The docu-drama, The Path of the Shadows, produced by Justin Mills, portrays the experience of Salvadoran university professor Carlos Mauricio, who survived abduction and torture at the hands of the security forces during the civil war (1979–1992) in this Central American nation.

The film combines testimony of Mauricio with dramatization and archival footage of the events surrounding his abduction and eventual release. Mills says: “I have found that relating history through testimonials combined with dramatization by actors is very effective in giving the audience an idea of the terror experienced by Salvadorans during this period.” Years later, along with other survivors, Mauricio won a lawsuit against those responsible for his trauma. The suit was brought by the Center for Justice and Accountability in the State of Florida. Mills adds: “I wanted to create a movie so that new generations would know about this history; it is important to preserve historical memory.

The cinematography is a way to evoke in the audience, in a visceral way, the wounds of the period of civil war, wounds that have not yet healed. I had the good fortune of counting on the work of talented actors, directors, and musical composers in the creation of this movie.”

Justin Mills is a second generation Salvadoran American and a graduate of the University of Baltimore with a degree in History. He has maintained his links to Salvadoran life and culture since childhood.

Mills became interested in the history of the war in El Salvador after visiting the Museum of the Revolution in Perquin and hearing the recollections of his family as well as other witnesses of the war. Three years ago he began filming testimonies of survivors and veterans of the civil war with the aim of producing a docu-dramas series about their experiences, and at the same time, promote knowledge of Salvadoran history. The Path of the Shadows is the first presentation of the planned series.

The film is now available on Vimeo On Demand: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thepathoftheshadows