Two ex-commanders of the FARC rebel group re-enter a hostile Colombian society after 50 years of civil war. They soon learn that symbolic football tournaments against former enemies cannot heal the scars of conflict. When the new president derails the peace process, their names appear on paramilitary hit lists, plunging their lives into a struggle for survival.
2023
62 FICCI Colombia
18 DocsMX Mexico
7 DokuBaku, Azerbaijan
10 FICDEH - Festival of Human Rights, Colombia
Special Mention – 57 Hof IFF, Germany
Markus Schröder
"When I met Pedro and Eduardo, Sleeping Giant’s protagonists, I was drawn in by their mixed feelings of defiance and dread. Their determination to rebuild their lives as civilians was turning into a journey as perilous as the war itself. With so much bubbling under the surface, I wanted their story to be told. While both Pedro and Eduardo spoke passionately of the injustices their communities faced, they have themselves been accused of committing atrocities. The viewer will question the moral implications of war as the characters not only show remorse, but also deny crimes of which we present the harrowing archival footage. I want to humanise the characters without glorifying them. I hope to show the audience a new perspective of a community far more complex than portrayed by the media. Are they good or are they evil? I’m not here to make that judgement for anyone. But at least, let me show you the human beings behind it all." - Markus Schröder, director
