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Silent Voices

  • Running Time
    00:19:59
  • Genre
    Documentary - Short
  • Language
    Spanish
  • Completed
    September 30, 2024

Through the portrait of several people directly linked to suicide, and with art and activism as a vehicle for reflection, the documentary proposes an approach to a long-silenced social problem.

Every year, more than 4,000 people take their own lives voluntarily in Spain: the leading cause of unnatural death. A problem that is beginning to become visible after many years of silence. Silent Voices addresses this problem through the human portrait of four people who construct their own personal reflection on suicide. In response to some chilling figures and, more specifically, to the taboo that hinders attempts to prevent suicide and alleviate its consequences, this short documentary seeks to create a context without prejudice in which to reflect on this human drama that ends 800,000 lives every year in the world. One every 40 seconds.

Silent Voices is a moving documentary that explores one of the most urgent yet least discussed public health issues of our time. Through intimate testimonies and honest reflections, the film gives a voice to those whose lives have been profoundly affected by suicide, revealing the emotions, questions, and realities that often remain hidden behind silence.

At the heart of the documentary are four personal stories that offer different perspectives on loss, survival, and hope. Their experiences invite viewers to look beyond stereotypes and statistics, creating a deeper understanding of the emotional impact that suicide leaves on individuals, families, and communities.

Rather than providing simple answers, Silent Voices encourages meaningful conversation. It examines the stigma that has surrounded suicide for generations and highlights how silence and prejudice can prevent people from seeking help, supporting one another, and addressing mental health with openness and compassion.

Thoughtful, sensitive, and deeply human, Silent Voices is ultimately a call for awareness and empathy. By breaking the taboo and creating space for honest dialogue, the film reminds us that every life matters, every story deserves to be heard, and that understanding can be the first step toward prevention and hope.

About the director

Julio Mazarico (born in Tudela, Spain, in 1969) is a filmmaker, writer, and producer with a background in industrial engineering. After spending more than 15 years working in information technology, he transitioned into the audiovisual industry, founding Escorzo Films, where he develops fiction, documentary, and commercial productions for both institutions and independent projects.

As a writer and director, Mazarico has created more than twenty short films, including Botones, Volver a nacer, and Infiltrados, which have been officially selected and awarded at numerous national and international film festivals. He also co-wrote the feature documentary El viaje de Unai with Andoni Canela and edited Entre Montañas alongside Unai Canela, a feature film selected for the Made in Spain section of the San Sebastián International Film Festival.

In 2021, he made his feature directorial debut with Surcos, an unconventional drama developed through a sociocultural project featuring non-professional actors over the age of 60. His second feature, Marta y Sara, has received development support from the Innova Research Program of the La Caixa Foundation and Fundación Caja Navarra, as well as the Generazinema Development and Production Grant from the Government of Navarra.

Mazarico is the writer, director, and producer of Silent Voices (Voces del Silencio), a documentary that explores the human impact of suicide through intimate personal testimonies, encouraging open dialogue, empathy, and greater awareness around mental health.

Cast
Leire Izaguirre
Jesús Manuel García
Paco Carcavilla
María Antonia Zamora

Director and Writer
Julio Mazarico
Producer
Escorzo Films
Cinematographer
Adrián Giménez
Editor
Julio Mazarico