I Will be Murdered

(I Will be Murdered)
Justin Webster | Documentary, Thriller

2013 | 52 minutes | Spain, United Kingdom

I Will Be Murdered is a gripping, edge-of-your seat documentary that portrays the astonishing, real-life story of a lawyer who launched a personal crusade in search of justice, and brought his country to the brink of chaos.

Synopsis

Guatemala, 2009. Wealthy and charismatic lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg Marzano was shot and killed near his home. A few days later, a YouTube video, in which Rosenberg pronounces his contempt for the situation in his country and its government, is uploaded. The video closes with Rosenberg’s words, “Unfortunately, ladies and gentleman, you are watching this video because I was murdered by the President Álvaro Colom.”

The video quickly went viral and led to a national crisis, rallying massive demonstrations and protests in favor of justice and against then president Álvaro Colom. With streets and squares filled with banners calling for his resignation, Colom called in help from the UN-formed commission against impunity, the CICIG, and high-profile Spanish attorney Carlos Castresana.

There began a brilliant investigation, a journey into Rosenberg’s soul and Guatemala’s hell, that after multiple twists and turns, reached a stunning conclusion.

I Will Be Murdered is a gripping, edge-of-your seat documentary that portrays the astonishing, real-life story of a lawyer who launched a personal crusade in search of justice, and brought his country to the brink of chaos.

Reviews

"Mixing true-crime and Latin American current events, this powerful and intriguing documentary is highly recommended." — C. Cassady, Video Librarian

"A gripping, twisty thriller." — John Dugdale, The Sunday Times

"Astonishing." — GQ

"If you're watching this message, it's because I've been murdered by President Colom. When Guatemalan lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg was killed by hit men in 2009, it led to a national uproar. Not only had he predicted his own death in a video he'd made days earlier, he'd also j'accused the premier. However, if this documentary starts out like a straightforward political thriller, it gradually turns into something infinitely stranger. A wild, disturbing and haunting film." — The Guardian

"Rosenberg emerges as a genuinely tragic figure, capable of tremendous bravery but also bewildering cowardice. Director Justin Webster follows his story through newsreel and the recollections of family and friends: it's a tense, somber affair, depicting a society still driven by fear, injustice, and desperation." — Time Out London

Citation
Main credits

Webster, Justin (film director)
Ayuso, Sumpta (film producer)

Other credits

Cinematography, Lucas Gath; editor, Simón Hernández, Jim Loomis; music, Camilo Sanabria.


Citation
Cataloging
Keywords
Rodrigo Rosenberg Marzano, YouTube, Álvaro Colom, CICIG, UN, Carlos Castresana, justice, true crime, spanish, spanish language, latin america, latin american cinema, latin american film, ibero america, latin, latinx, latino, latina,,latin american studies, caribbean american studies, island studies, latin american culture, latin american history, latin american politics, caribbean american culture, caribbean american history, caribbean american politics, latin american languages, latin american and caribbean studies, hispanic american studies, hispanic people, hispanic culture, hispanic politics,political science, micropolitics, macropolitics, political theory, political education, political movements, political thinking, political criticism, poly sci, polysci, political sci, political sciences, political history, history of politics, political systems,criminal justice, crime, judiciary, police reform, corrections, criminal law, judicial system, justice department, prosecution, judgement, criminal law, courts and corrections, corrections institutes,communications, journalism, news, information, media, new media, newspaper, newspaper, blogs, news site, news app, pulling string, gathering string, reporting, fourth estate, news media, journalists, journalist, reporters, reporter,authority, authoritarianism, dictatorship, military regime, military government, fascism, repression, oppression, political oppression, political repression, far right, far right wing, modern fascism,human rights, public rights, equal rights, freedom of expression, basic human rights, united nations, activism, human rights activism, human rights council, human rights commission, universal human rights, universal rights,history, context, narrative, past, chronicle, lore, annals, historic, personal history, archive, record, saga, biography, memoir, study,international relations, global relations, global studies, international studies, international affairs, intercontinental relations, intercontinental studies, foreign studies, foreign relations, national relations, national studies, cross-continental studies, cross-continental relations,family, kin, fellowship, household, immediate family, extended family, multigenerational family, multigenerational household, kinfolk, family tree, genealogy, nuclear family, modern family, family tree,guatemala,latin america,murder,dictador latinoamericano,i will be murdrered,movies i,murder in guatemala,the oxford murders,latin lover,latin america horror,Guatemala and Hud Bay,witch hunt,latinamerica,i will be murdered,maria full of grace,i am a sex addict,since i been down,memories of murder,crime documentary,Mexico city,Murder mystery,Mexico filmmaking,documentaries on Latin america,murder documentary,Nuevo Orden,Thrillers,Murder by death,japenes e palm d oro movie winner man caged for fifteen years framed for murdering wife,i would die,blue murder,rodrigo rosenberg,murder most foul,murder by contract,latin america cold war,memoir of a murder,the facts of murder,Spanish language films,jews in latin america,Memory of a murder,latin american,latin,collateral murder,murder mystery movies,murder mysteries,nuevo cine,murder women guatemala,Latin american art,dial m for murder,Latin American Studies,mining guatemala,vietnam,murder my sweet; "I Will be Murdered"; Pragda Films
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Festivals

Cartagena International Film Festival - Best Director Documentary Film
Hot Docs
Havana Film - Best Documentary by non-Latin director
Festival de Cine de Lima
Mostra Internacional de Cine de Sao Paulo Brazil - Special Mention
TallGrass Film Festival - Best Feature Documentary

DIRECTOR: Justin Webster

NATIONALITY: Spain, United Kingdom

YEAR: 2013

GENRE: Documentary, Thriller

LANGUAGE: English; Spanish

COLOR / B&W: Color

GRADE LEVEL: College, Adults

SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE

AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE

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