The Strategy of the Snail

The story unfolds in Bogotá, centering on two neighboring derelict houses. La Casa Uribe and La Pajarera sit in an urban landscape where wealth and neglect collide. The Colón theater serves as a practical backdrop where the squatters stage their plan to relocate interiors, highlighting Bogotá's layered social geography.

🏚️ Gentrification

The eviction of squatters by an absentee landlord exposes power imbalances in a city where property rights can disenfranchise a community. The film follows residents who refuse to surrender, turning a derelict mansion into a site of collective resistance. It critiques how urban development can displace the vulnerable and erase rooted communities.

🛠️ Creative Resistance

A plan to dismantle the interior of La Casa Uribe and move it to a new location demonstrates how people improvise to survive. Jacinto leads the mechanical effort, using ropes and pulleys in a theater setting to outmaneuver legal delays. The act blends ingenuity with solidarity, turning architecture into a tool of protest.

📺 Media and Truth

A news reporter frames the story, weaving the tenants’ struggle with the wider city politics. The documentary-like structure invites viewers to question who controls the narrative. The film uses this device to explore how media shapes perception of eviction and resistance.