Experiencing Interruptions?

The Disappeared / Los Desaparecidos

A haunting short documentary capturing a political art installation in Los Angeles that echoes the imagery of El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison. Through silent performance and stark visuals, the film draws chilling parallels between U.S. detention sites and global authoritarianism—transforming public space into a site of resistance against fascism and forced disappearance.

  • Pauline Mateos
    Director
  • Giuseppe Rizzo
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short, Web / New Media, Other
  • Genres:
    Performance Art, Documentary, Political Art
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 51 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 14, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    9:16
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Fall of Freedom - We will not be disappeared
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 22, 2025
Director Biography - Pauline Mateos

"Pauline Mateos is a graphic designer with over 13 years of experience in branding, conceptual development, marketing, and packaging design. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. Her creative work focuses on brand identity and concept implementation, combining visual storytelling with strategic design. She has received multiple industry awards for branding excellence, recognizing her ability to craft compelling and effective visual systems. Her current interests explore how commercial design methodologies can be retooled for political messaging, public engagement, and visual dissent."

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Director Statement

"This performance came from a place of alarm and responsibility. The kneeling formation in white was drawn from the stark images of El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison, but as I worked, I kept thinking about the parallels here in the United States, in places like Camp East Montana in Texas and the facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida, where similar patterns of secrecy and control are unfolding.

Volunteers from Refuse Fascism LA joined the piece, and many told me afterward that the experience hit them harder than they expected. Even though it was symbolic, the act of kneeling in silence made them feel, in a small but powerful way, the dehumanization that imprisoned people are forced to endure. Hearing that affected me deeply. It reminded me that these images are not abstractions. They reflect real human suffering.

For me, this work is a warning. We are much closer to these fascistic practices than many people want to admit, and if we do not confront them now, they can become normal before we even notice. Speaking personally, my hope is simple. I hope this does not become our future, and I hope that by seeing it clearly, we find the courage to resist it together and stop it before it takes hold.”
- Pauline Mateos