Description : Mercy Bohorquez, an ambitious preteen born in Montreal to Colombian parents Andrea and Luis, and has a close relationship to older sister Luz, whom she idolises. Her idyllic life is thrown into chaos after her father is charged with drunk driving; a car crash that causes significant damage to a historical landmark and leaves Luz with a debilitating concussion. Her family soon become outcasts and rather than face a lengthy trial, they accept to be repatriated to Colombia. Mercy stays behind in Montreal for what is meant to be a short time with family friends, The Philipps family, and watches from a distance as her parents bitterly fight to win back everything they’d worked for, and with it, their standing in the community.

THE FILM OPENS five years after the events of the accident, when 17-year-old Mercy is set to be reunited with her family in Bogotá for the summer. After a tearful goodbye with the Philipps, the family who took her in and to whom she’s grown incredibly close, Mercy arrives in Bogotá and is immediately struck by how little she knows about her family’s new life; a beautiful new home they never mentioned buying, Luz’s secretive behaviour, family friends she’s never heard of, and a grandmother she hasn’t seen since she was a child. At a party, a distant relative lets slip that their parents will remain in Colombia and have plans to convince Mercy to join them permanently.

Head spinning, Mercy runs to the only other person she knows in Bogotá, her grandmother, and the two quickly form a bond over preparing traditional Colombian foods and their shared experiences of feeling left behind. Throughout this transformative summer, Mercy searches for a way to reconnect with her heritage while forging her path forward and in so doing, developing a new, more meaningful relationship with her family.

We will explore the contrast between Montreal and Bogotá to mirror Mercy’s internal struggles and anchor the story in nuanced performances from an ensemble cast.

There are no sepia filters here - we want to showcase Bogotá using its rich, vibrant colours and discover views that can - thanks to the city’s high elevation - literally take your breath away. We want the sensory experience of Colombian cooking the sometimes claustrophobic buses and city streets; the natural beauty and dynamic artistic communities to be on full display.