During my spare time, when I actually take the time to watch movies, I don’t usually pick documentaries. Honestly, I’ve only seen a handful. Lately, though, I’ve been very interested in expanding my list of watched documentaries. One day, I saw a post on Facebook about a documentary that immediately captured my attention. To my surprise, it was a documentary produced by Netflix itself. It didn’t take me more than a second to log into my account and click play. I’m sure glad I did.
The Three Deaths of Marisela Escobedo is a totally captivating documentary. According to Netflix’s own description, “This documentary examines a mother’s tireless crusade to jail her daughter’s murderer after Mexico’s justice system failed to do so.” Having said that, it keeps you glued to the screen during every second of the documentary.
Instantly, the film captivates your attention and makes you think about many issues related to femicides and gender violence projected in many parts of the world, especially within those with strong patriarchal cultures. Even so, the people interviewed within the documentary don’t rule out the fact that this type of situation also occurs outside of Mexico.
Currently, the situation of gender violence and femicides are global crises that continue worsening over time. However, there are also more movements that continue to arise to end such violence with the purpose of implementing necessary protective measures and, above all, to prove that justice is always present as soon as it’s pertinent.
I won’t deny that, while watching the documentary, my heart was weakening and my anger was racing. Given the lack of justice for this woman, my tears didn’t fail to flow down my cheeks because of how powerless I felt.
Sometimes, this type of situation speaks to you because it’s something that many women experience and witness every day. It leaves us to continue our walk through the often-turmoiled path of survival against misogynistic violence, reminding us that it could happen to any woman. I have no doubt that those who have also seen the documentary have felt the same feelings. Marisela Escobedo’s story made me take into account even more strongly the importance of always striving for justice.
Throughout this film, Marisela Escobedo demonstrates a lot of her resilience in the face of a failed system that not only turned its back on her in her time of need, but also on many other women who are victims of machismo culture. In the same way, she teaches us that we can’t allow ourselves to become one more statistic when facing those who show hatred and lack of sensitivity.
The title of this documentary is a metaphor for what the documentary presents, but if you take the time to watch it, you will have no problem understanding those three deaths quickly. Certainly, they were very moving deaths, but it’s even more moving to see how that story transcended many parts of the world.
Today, in feminist protests, especially in Mexico and the rest of Latin America, such as the #NiUnaMenos movement, the story of this righteous and resilient woman is commemorated. For me, Marisela Escobedo represents the essence of the popular phrase: nos queremos vivas, and if we’re snatched from the paths of this world, ¡exigimos justicia!