Filmmakers Bibiana Rojas Gómez and Juan David Cárdenas debut 'The End of Times' at Venice Critics’ Week, blending 50 years of family archives with AI to envision a post-capitalist world.

  • The film is a hybrid documentary blending archival footage, fiction, and AI.
  • It premiered at the 41st Venice Critics’ Week.
  • It explores the intersection of private family history and Colombian political turmoil.

In a groundbreaking cinematic endeavor, Colombian filmmakers Bibiana Rojas Gómez and Juan David Cárdenas have unveiled 'The End of Times', a film that pushes the boundaries of storytelling. Premiering at the 41st Venice Critics’ Week, this 80-minute hybrid documentary utilizes artificial intelligence 'hallucinations' to bridge the gap between personal memory and a speculative future beyond capitalism.

The narrative follows Salomé, a fictional narrator who delves into five decades of family recordings to uncover the emotional truths behind her mother’s life. By using real archival footage from Cárdenas’ family in Buga, Colombia, the filmmakers transform a private archive into a profound political excavation of the nation's history, including periods of economic liberalization and colonial exploitation.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this film represents a new wave of 'audiovisual anarchism.' By manipulating historical records through the lens of fiction and AI, the creators challenge the traditional authority of the historical archive, making the past feel fluid and alive rather than static and untouchable.

The film turns the unpredictable nature of AI into a tool for poetic exploration, rather than just a technological gimmick.

The film's depth is found in its ability to link domestic micro-histories to massive geopolitical shifts. From the repression under President Julio César Turbay Ayala to the shadows of Operation Condor, the family's private struggles—such as a relative's involvement in a tragic 1989 plane bombing—become symbols of a wider Latin American struggle.

Furthermore, the film tracks the evolution of memory through technology, transitioning from the grainy, square formats of old camcorders to the vertical, immediate snapshots of modern smartphones. This evolution serves as a visual metaphor for how human connection and historical record-keeping have been fundamentally altered by the digital age.

Did You Know?: The film uses generational shifts—from political activists to those struggling with modern psychiatric challenges—to map the changing social fabric of Colombia.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What makes 'The End of Times' unique?
It is a hybrid documentary that uses AI to 'hallucinate' and reimagine historical and family footage into a speculative narrative.

2. Where can this film be seen?
The film was showcased in competition at the Venice Film Festival's Critics' Week.