They Took Them Alive

NEW DOCS

In 2014, 43 college students disappeared from a bus in Iguala, Mexico. Here, their loved ones seek answers and describe the lingering impact of not knowing what became of their sons, husbands, nephews, and grandchildren. An international human rights association appoints a panel of experts to investigate the incident, and the families travel to hear the findings. They learn that there is reason to believe the Mexican government has not given the investigators all the information they need, and that it has denied their request for more time to seek answers. Still, the relatives refuse to forget. Moving between personal recollections and on-the-ground confrontations with police, They Took Them Alive considers the personal toll of a still-unfolding mystery. Perhaps these families will never know the truth, but—as evident here—it’s impossible to stop searching for answers. ST

Director

Emily K. Pederson

Producer

Patricia Benabe

Editor

Carlos Rojas Felice

Cinematographer

Bruno Santamaría

Release Year

2016

Festival Year

2017

Country

United States

Run Time

19 minutes

Subtitled

Yes

Premiere

World Premiere