El Salvador continues to transform its face and history. This time, it does so through its natural wealth, which it showcased yesterday in a magnificent documentary produced and directed by British filmmaker Nigel Marven.
With a one-hour duration, the documentary «Indomitable El Salvador» highlights the beauty of the country’s landscapes, its natural richness, biodiversity, and culture, among other themes.
The production was officially presented last night at Galerías Multiplaza, La Libertad, as part of the gala organized by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN).
Prior to the screening of the documentary, officials, diplomats, and special guests walked the red carpet prepared for the night.
Minister of Environment, Fernando López, expressed gratitude to the attendees, the technicians, and the park rangers of the ministry who supported the production. He also praised the tremendous work carried out by the filmmaker, which was filmed 100% in the country.
«We are at the premiere of ‘Indomitable El Salvador.’ It is a documentary through which we present a new version of our country, which was previously known for negative news. Now we are working to make the world know El Salvador for its volcanoes, biodiversity, protected natural areas, and culture […] This documentary takes viewers on an immersive journey through the stunning nature of our country, in the shadow of our majestic volcanoes, and even showcases one of the few active volcanoes in the world where diving is possible: our Ilopango Lake,» he said.
He added that the documentary «highlights the ecological importance of volcanoes, emphasizing their role in shaping the geography of our country and, above all, in providing fertile soils for agriculture. It showcases the resilience of nature in adapting to volcanic activity.»
As part of the massive dissemination organized for «Indomitable El Salvador,» the documentary will be presented on Channel 10 next Sunday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m.
The production will also be available on Magellan TV, Apple TV, and the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Environment.
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Marven arrived in El Salvador for the first time on November 24, 2021, with the idea of capturing the beauty of El Salvador to show it to the world.
Within his team, he worked with Julio César Acosta, a national tourism guide specializing in birdwatching. Acosta spoke with «Diario El Salvador» in February to provide more details about the work carried out by the filmmaker.
«The documentary is truly a love letter to El Salvador. Nigel visited with me in November 2021, and practically, that’s where the inspiration for the documentary came from. During that visit, we went to many more places than we have filmed. After that trip, he got in touch with the Ministry of Environment, and the production of the documentary was agreed upon. I have been in charge of all the logistical and investigative aspects of the production before the filming team arrived,» he said.
According to MARN data, the production required 90 days of pre-production, including all the planning of the documentary before starting the shooting. It took 24 days of production, covering both the dry and rainy seasons, and 60 days of post-production, plus an additional month for dubbing.
Technicians and park rangers from the Ministry of Environment accompanied each stage of the filming process.
«The Ministry of Environment supported us, and we were able to film in three stages. The first stage took place in April 2022, during the dry season […] We filmed turquoise-browed motmots, spider monkeys. In the mountains, we filmed the rattlesnake and other species. Then, we did a second stage, during the rainy season, in late August, to film the Festival of Bolas de Fuego in Nejapa,» Acosta explained.
He added that it was during these two visits that they captured the primary photography for the documentary, adapting to the weather conditions to obtain as much visual material as possible for the post-production stage.
«Some visits, such as the one to the Izalco volcano, were filmed in a third stage in December 2022. On that occasion, we also filmed whales,» he concluded.