Rito de Paso

The documentary Rito de Paso (Rite of Passage) is a cinematic interpretation that illuminates the political content behind artist Helen Ceballos’ creative process. The performative piece documented in the film, also titled Rito de Paso, gathers the memories and demands of racialized individuals in response to gender-based violence, structural racism, and inequality in the Caribbean.

Pedro Iván Bonilla’s attentive gaze accompanies Ceballos throughout the process of assembling and disassembling the performance at the former La Milagrosa School in Río Piedras (Puerto Rico). Bonilla documents the rituals of collective labor and their spiritual dimension in the pursuit of performance, capturing images that trace a map of solidarities and resistance throughout the film. Both the documentary and the performance are a celebration of the right to exist with dignity in our territories.