On the border between Ecuador and Colombia, Carmela welcomes into her home thousands of people crossing South America on foot during the Venezuelan exodus. Her mission does not stop despite the scourge of the pandemic, the lack of humanitarian aid, and the sudden imprisonment of her husband.
Carmela and the Walkers
Near the Ecuador-Colombia border, 56-year-old Afro-Ecuadorian Carmela lives with her husband and eight children. She opens her home to provide free food and shelter for thousands of Venezuelan migrants fleeing hardship, despite opposition from her children, distrust from neighbors, the pandemic, and scarce aid.
When borders close during the pandemic, Carmela faces an emotional crisis as migrants stop coming. Her husband, Carlos, unable to transport fruits legally, turns to illegal routes and is imprisoned for 20 months on false drug charges. Carmela takes his place, crossing the closed border illegally to sell goods, challenging her principles of honesty.
With her absence, her children overcome prejudices and step up to help those in need. When Carlos is released, Carmela must heal her family’s wounds while continuing her mission of solidarity.
Framed as a heroine’s journey, the film explores Carmela’s intimate story, her family, and the migration crisis in the region.
TEASER
Project status
We’re thrilled to announce that “Carmela and the Walkers” will make its global premiere at Sheffield Documentary Festival (Sheffield DocFest) in England, one of the world’s most renowned platforms for groundbreaking cinema. This milestone marks the first step in the film’s journey to captivate audiences worldwide.
With its unforgettable narrative and daring visual language, the project is set to shine at AAA international festivals, where we aim to celebrate its artistic vision and technical innovation.
Following its festival run, the film will embark on a strategic global release, targeting key markets across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Our distribution plan is crafted to honor each region’s cultural heartbeat while ensuring Carmela’s story reaches diverse audiences.
Beyond theaters, the film will expand into streaming platforms, independent cinema circuits, and cultural events—transforming every screening into a shared experience. “Carmela y los Caminantes” isn’t just a film; it’s a bridge between worlds, and its journey starts now.
Ficha Técnica / Technical Details
Título en español: Carmela y los caminantes
Título en inglés: Carmela and the Travelers
Dirección / Directed by: Luis Herrera R. y Esteban Coloma
Producción General / General Production: Esteban Coloma
Dirección de Fotografía / Cinematography: Luis Herrera R.
Asistencia / Assistant Director: Daysi Burbano
Guionistas / Screenwriters: Elvira Durango G., Esteban Coloma, Luis Herrera R.
Producción de campo / Field Production: Leonardo Salas
Asistencia de producción / Production Assistants: Hannah Valladares, Patricia Yallico
Montaje / Editing: Iván Mora
Música / Music: InConcerto
Sonido / Sound: Ruido
Género / Genre: Documental / Documentary
Formato / Format: Full HD 16:9
Duración / Runtime: 92 minutos / 92 minutes
Industry and Markets
"Carmela y los Caminantes" has had a notable presence in various spaces within the film industry, both in Latin America and Europe. These spaces include film festivals, industry markets, development labs, and professional gatherings, where the film has been able to showcase itself, receive feedback, and connect with key players in the sector.
Conect with distribution (Chile Conecta 2024)
MeetMarket - Sheffield international Documentaru Festival 2024
Refugee Voices In Film - Marche du Film - CANNES 2024
IDFA Academy 2024
DocuLab (Guadalajara Film Festival 2023)
Plataforma Ib Docslab (DocsMX 2022)
Red Edoc Lab (Encuentros del Otro Cine 2022)
SAPCINE (Festival de Cine de Cali 2022)
Afrolatam (Miradasdoc 2021)
Chile Conecta 2021
Premiere status
World Premiere in Sheffield Doc Fest
Competitions
International First Feature Competition in Sheffield DocFest 2025
Refletions
Making observational documentaries has been for me a journey of life and learning. Carmela y los Caminantes -that project to which we dedicated five years- taught me that filming other people's realities is much more than capturing images: it is learning to live in the times of others, to sustain relationships that transform (some break, others become endearing), and above all, to find one's own voice in that delicate balance between recording and accompanying.
It was a school of the human: there were moments of pure beauty and others of absolute rawness. But above all, it made it clear to me that this cinema -the one I practice- must be made with care, with affection, with commitment. Because when the camera turns off, the bonds remain.
Today, as I work on other projects, I feel that this learning is still alive. Carmela y los Caminantes is not just another project: it is part of a necessary legacy - that of making visible the women of Ecuador, their daily resistance, their paths walked in solitude but full of community.
Because in the end, this craft is not just about telling stories: it is about listening to them, honoring them and, in the process, letting them transform us.
