El Drama del 15 de Octubre (1915)

El drama del 15 de octubre (English: The Drama of 15 October) is a lost Colombian silent film directed by the Di Domenico brothers. Considered the first feature documentary film produced in Colombia, it depicts events surrounding the assassination of General Rafael Uribe Uribe on 15 October 1914, including a reconstruction of the killing itself. It was first screened to the public on 21 November 1915 at Salón Olympia in Bogotá.

El drama del 15 de octubre was heavily criticized for its subject matter, for incorporating photographs of Uribe’s body, and for employing Uribe's killers in its reconstruction of his assassination. A court ordered all copies of the documentary destroyed, and its content is known only from newspaper articles contemporary to the movie's release. The controversy surrounding the film seriously affected the Colombian movie industry, which released no films for several years after.

Synopsis

The film begins with a portrait of Uribe, and continues with footage of him while he was alive. Scenes shot by Vincenzo Di Domenico then follow, starting with Uribe's funeral. His coffin is carried from the Primary Cathedral of Bogotá to the cemetery, followed by a large crowd, and cars with wreaths on them. The police and army are present at the ceremony.