Filmmaker Statement

As a Guatemalan immigrant who moved to the US over 20 years ago, I’ve long wanted to tell stories from the place that shaped me. LAMENTO was that dream come true. We set the film in the ruins of Turicentro Likin, a once-beloved beach resort now nearly reclaimed by the sea. I remember swimming there with my family in the 80s, watching the violent waves crash into walls. The film is a metaphor on time, memory, and the immigrant journey—a reminder to never forget who you are, where you come from, no matter how far life takes you. As immigrants, we build lives elsewhere, yet a part of us never leaves. Likin, to me, is way more than just a place. It’s a symbol of home, family, culture—the essence of who we are. As time passes, those memories eventually fade. LAMENTO is about preserving them before they disappear. More than a film, LAMENTO is a time capsule. As the sea swallows the ruins of this place we once knew, the images in this film will keep its memory alive for generations.