Documentary ‘Aminetu’ Comes to Fuerteventura in the “Voices from the Border” Series
The Auditorio Insular will host the screening of Aminetu on Friday, 17 April at 19:00. The film, directed by Lucía Muñoz Lucena and produced by EntreFronteras, is part of the “Voices from the Border” cycle organized by the Centro Bibliotecario Insular, under the Cultural Department of the Cabildo and coordinated by Rayco Léon.
The documentary reconstructs the historic 2009 hunger strike of Sahrawi activist Aminetu Haidar on Lanzarote – an episode that captured international attention and turned the Canary Islands into a global stage for the Sahrawi cause.
Aminetu is the first docu‑thriller about Western Sahara, blending the tension of a thriller with the rigor of investigative journalism. It is not merely a memory exercise; it invites reflection on justice, responsibility, and the power of peaceful resistance in turbulent times. In a world marked by armed conflicts and escalating warfare, the film shows how non‑violent resistance can serve as a political tool and highlights the central role of women in building peace.
The screenplay is authored by investigative journalists Sergio Rodrigo Ruiz and Nicolás Castellano, a seasoned Canarian reporter. The production also incorporates rescued historical archives from RTVC and the Diario de Lanzarote, provided to EntreFronteras, which allow a detailed reconstruction of the 32‑day hunger strike and its broader Sahrawi context.
From this perspective, the director crafts a narrative that not only revives the events but also delves into their political and human implications. The film examines the historical responsibility of successive Spanish governments over the past five decades in an unfinished decolonisation process, and it underscores the enduring solidarity of Spanish citizens with the Sahrawi people—a partnership that has persisted beyond official policies.
After the screening, a colloquium will be held with director Lucía Muñoz Lucena, screenwriter Sergio Rodrigo Ruiz, and journalist Manu Riveiro, director of the Diario de Fuerteventura.
The presentation in Fuerteventura reinforces the close, shared nature of this story, reminding us that the Canary Islands have been direct witnesses—and often participants—in the historical, cultural, and human ties with the Sahrawi people, serving for decades as a platform of support and solidarity.
Context of Aminetu
The screening takes place at a particularly symbolic moment: it marks 50 years since Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, an occupation that continues, and 50 years since Spain abandoned its former province 53 without completing the decolonisation process. Half a century later, the conflict remains unresolved, with the Sahrawi people still fighting for their right to self‑determination against Morocco’s proposed autonomy.
In this setting, Aminetu Haidar’s story resonates as an example of peaceful resistance and as a reminder of an unfinished historical debt—both to the Sahrawi people and to the Spanish public, which has kept a network of active solidarity alive for decades.