HDNet World Report: Children of the Disappeared Field Notes
From Correspondent Jennifer London:
#1 Nicolas Placci holds one of his most treasured possessions - a wedding photo of his parents. Both were killed after being captured and held as political prisoners during the military dictatorship that ruled Argentina in the late ‘70’s, early ‘80’s. Nicolas was raised by his grandparents and is currently searching for his missing brother or sister. His mother was pregnant when she ‘disappeared’ and it’s believed her infant son or daughter was stolen after birth and given to another couple to raise. Nicolas says he’ll never stop searching….
#2 After a moving interview with Nicolas Placci he showed me photos from his childhood. When he was six months old Nicolas was taken in and raised by his grandparents after his mother and father were murdered during the military dictatorship in Argentina during the late ‘70’s, early ‘80’s. One picture in particular was extremely poignant - it was an old, small, black and white snapshot of his mother when she was pregnant with him - Nicolas handed me the picture and said sadly, ‘this is the only photo I have with my mother and me together.’
#3 Photographer Jim VanVranken films at the Plaza de Mayo - the main square in downtown Buenos Aires. The plaza also serves as a focal point for political life in the city and is the backdrop for the weekly march and demonstration of the human rights organization The Mothers of the Disappeared. The painted white scarves that circle the plaza symbolize the blankets of their missing children who were stolen during the military dictatorship that ruled the country from 1976 to 1983. While we were filming a number of children were playing at the plaza - feeding pigeons, riding bikes and running around - their laughter echoed around the square. The sad irony is they now play in a place that is dedicated to keeping the memory alive of the children who had their identity, innocence and childhood stolen from them. I wonder if these children, playing here today, will grow up to understand the significance of the place where they spent carefree afternoons.
#4 A young Argentinian man wears his country’s flag with pride as he marches with the Mothers and the Grandmothers of the Disappeared. Hundreds gathered at the Plaza de Mayo, in downtown Buenos Aires, on Dec 9 to honor and remember those who ‘disappeared’ during the dark days of the military dictatorship in the late ‘70’s, early ‘80’s.
#5 Even though the human rights atrocities that occurred in Argentina ended nearly 30 years ago a mother still grieves for her son who disappeared at the hands of the country’s military junta. During our interview she showed us the pin she wears close to heart so she’ll always remember. To this day she continues to look for the boy she named Alejandro.
#6 While filming ‘beauty shots’ in the La Boca district of Buenos Aires, audio tech, Kevin Sanchez and I take a quick break for a little tango. A quick moment of levity during an otherwise challenging and at times emotional shoot.
