El Olvido Que Seremos is translated in English as Forgotten We’ll Be, but was released in English-speaking countries as Memories of my Father. It was the 2020 Colombian entry to the Academy Awards, but wasn’t nominated. It’s disappointing that this movie nor the previous Colombian 2019 entry Monos didn’t make the short-list for Best International Feature Film, but I understand the massive competition in this category. I was describing El Olvido this morning to someone as the Colombian equivalent of Mexico’s Roma film in terms of encapsulating the cultural and interpersonal passion and vibe so inherent in Latin America and specifically here – Colombia.
El Olvido Que Seremos is based on the true story of Héctor Abad Gómez, a Colombian university professor who challenges the country’s establishment. In 1980’s Colombia, Dr Hector Abad Gomez fights to lift the people of Medellin out of poverty. Despite the threats to his safety he refuses to remain silent. The fate of this dedicated doctor and devoted family man is shown through the gentle and admiring eyes of his son.
This moving film is based on the book by the same name written by his son Hector Abad Faciolince which is considered one of the most important works of 21st-Century Hispanic literature. I read this book a few years ago and was delighted that it had been made into a film. The director remarked the following on the film:
‘El Olvido Que Seremos needed to be adapted for cinema. The values the book defends have a profound effect on us. Nobody is left feeling indifferent because it affects us all. This story has to be told again and again. Whether the aim is just to make the world a better place, or more simply, to make thousands more people want to read it.’
References:
1. Cannes Film Festival – Forgotten We’ll Be
Below are more comments from director Fernando Trueba and his tribute to Colombian doctor Hector Abad Gomez including some scenes from the movie:
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
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