Lauren
Rejón, V., & Serrano, I. (Directors). (2025). Voices from the Abyss / Las Voces del Despeñadero. EPF Media. 23 mins. Voices from the Abyss is a short film that provides a moving and artistic portrayal of the La Quebrada Cliff Divers in Acapulco, Mexico. These divers make their living diving over 30 meters into a channel only 7 meters wide as part of a public show. Voices From the Abyss lets the divers share their thoughts and stories, illustrating the human side of this long-standing tradition. Voices from the Abyss takes an artistic and emotional approach to its subject rather than focusing on providing factual information. Only the diver’s voices are heard in this film and the stunning imagery focuses on the divers and the La Quebrada cliff. This keeps film centered on the experiences of the individual divers. As the film drifts from topic to topic, different divers’ perspectives are shared in voice over, providing a rich and complex portrait of the cliff divers. The film touches on the history of the cliffs, the diving show, the importance of religion to many divers, the serious injuries experienced, and what diving means to them. Voices from the Abyss is filmed in black and white and features gorgeous cinematography. The imagery of the divers and the cliff is stunning, making this film a must see for the visuals alone. Throughout Voices from the Abyss, the filmmakers use slow motion photography to make the divers look as though they are flying. A repeated motif in the film is the use of montages to illustrate a topic being discussed. We see subsequent shots of divers climbing the cliffs, jumping, or gracefully slipping into the water, creating a mesmerizing repetition. As Voices from the Abyss is only 23 minutes long, it does not go in depth, but still provides a captivating portrait of the La Quebrada cliff divers. This film is highly recommended for general adult audiences due to the touching portrayal of the cliff divers and accompanying stunning imagery. In an academic setting, it would be appropriate for Latin American studies or Film Studies. Awards: Best Documentary - Hollyshorts Film Festival Best Ibero-American Short Film - Guadalajara Intl Film Festival Best Documentary Short Film - Morelia Intl Film Festival Jury Award, Best Doc Short - Cine Las Americas Intl Film Festival Grand Prize - Best Short Doc - Flickers' Ri Intl Film Festival