In a shelter for teenage girls in Bogota, a group of young women are invited to close their eyes and imagine the life story of a fictional classmate named ALIS. The exercise begins as an innocent game, ALIS is a blank canvas on which they can project their own experiences. As the fiction takes shape, grows and blends with reality, it opens up the possibility for them to step outside of themselves and see their own experiences through a different perspective. Creating this fictional companion confronts them with the cycle of violence in which they have been immersed, and gives them a unique opportunity of dreaming of a brighter future. A deep and powerful story full of laughter, love and music that happens in the least expected place.

Alis is a film about a group of young girls that live in a state-run boarding school who previously lived on the streets of Bogota. After 5 years of working with them, we understood that they live in a circle of violence transmitted from generation to generation. Is it possible to imagine a different life? When the girls turn eighteen, they have to leave the institution, and this critical moment will define their destiny, as it’s here when most return to the dynamics of the street as their only alternative. We aim to create a home that will provide them emotional and professional support and a basic income for participating. It’s a place where they belong, and that will offer the support they do not receive. They will be accompanied to find study and employment opportunities. They will also have the chance to become leaders and guide the girls that will come after them. Our aim is also to create a community around the film, and open the discussion about the importance of childhood.