Grandfather's Secret Life: A Son's Legacy

Director Andrés Madrigal's feature debut, "Lost Men," makes its world premiere at the Costa Rica Film Festival. The intimate documentary chronicles the director's family history following the 2019 death of his grandfather, who was married for 57 years in conservative Costa Rica.

Following the patriarch's passing, Madrigal's father revealed a significant family secret: the grandfather was a closeted gay man. This revelation prompted father and son to reflect on a life lived in secrecy, while the filmmaker also contemplates his own queer identity.

Madrigal was driven to make the film to preserve memories and writings lost after his grandfather's death. He and his father discussed the sensitive nature of the story, prioritizing emotional processing during production.

The documentary touches upon Costa Rica's queer scene, including glimpses of San José's nightlife and the director's personal life. Madrigal aimed to explore themes of queerness, masculinity, and memory, believing that understanding his grandfather's life offers insight into broader societal realities in Costa Rica at the time.

Producing "Lost Men" involved balancing a deeply personal narrative with cinematic perspective. Madrigal credits editor Luis Diego Pérez for achieving this balance. The film, a Costa Rica-Guatemala co-production, also highlights the growing Central American film industry, fostering regional collaboration and storytelling.

"Lost Men" was supported by Costa Rica's El Fondo Fauno and the Netherlands' Prince Claus Seed Award. Producers Madrigal and Sofía Meza Herrera, alongside Guatemala's 4:4:4 Televisión led by Felipon Díaz, emphasized the importance of telling such intimate stories within the region.