The Silence of the Mole
The Silence of the Mole is a 2021 Guatemalan documentary film directed by Anaïs Taracena. It tells the story of the journalist Elías Barahona, better known as The Mole, who between 1976 and 1980 was infiltrated as press secretary of the Guatemalan Ministry of the Interior. It was selected as the Guatemalan entry in the Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.
Synopsis
Throughout the 1970s, journalist Elías Barahona, alias El Topo, infiltrated the heart of one of Guatemala's most repressive governments. By revealing the story of this reserved and unique individual, The Silence of the Mole captures the moments when revelations from the past open cracks in the walls of silence of a story that remains hidden.
Release
The film had its world premiere at the end of April 2021 at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2021 in Toronto, Canada. The film was released commercially on 2 June 2022, in Guatemalan theaters. It had a limited release on 10 February 2023, in Mexican theaters.