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Film Screening: Las Muertes Más Bellas del Mundo

A documentary about Salvadoran artists in Washington, DC

What happens when people survive war, leave their homeland behind, and build a new life in a city that is itself constantly changing?

Join The People's Archive and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for a screening of Las Muertes Más Bellas del Mundo (The Most Beautiful Deaths in the World), a documentary Co-Directed by Quique Avilés and Ellie Walton and Produced by the Yellow House Collective. 

Beginning in the 1980s, tens of thousands of Salvadorans fleeing civil war came to the Washington region. Over the decades that followed, artists, musicians, poets, dancers, photographers and community organizers helped create a distinctly Salvadoran-Washingtonian cultural identity. Places such as 15th and Irving Streets NW became important gathering points for artists and community members whose work helped shape the cultural landscape of the nation’s capital.

At the center of the film is Quique Avilés’ personal journey toward acceptance and healing. The film interweaves his story with portraits of Salvadoran artists whose work transformed experiences of war and displacement into poetry, music, photography, performance and community.

Grief becomes art. Art becomes memory. And memory becomes a way of preserving a community’s history.

About the Partners

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is an independent agency in the District of Columbia government. First established in 1968, it evaluates and initiates action on matters relating to the arts and humanities. Additionally, CAH encourages programs and the development of programs that promote progress in the arts and humanities. CAH is the designated state arts agency for the District of Columbia. It is supported primarily through District government funds. Additionally, it receives partial support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The People’s Archive at DC Public Library is home to the dynamic collections that preserve and share the stories, histories, and voices of Washington, D.C.’s diverse communities, as well as the Black experience in the Unites States. It features materials—such as photographs, oral histories, documents, and more—that highlight the vibrant local, national and international history of DMV residents, grassroots movements, and cultural milestones, making it a valuable resource for researchers, historians, and anyone interested in learning more about the city’s past and present.

The Yellow House Collective is a Washington, D.C.-based collective of filmmakers, scholars, researchers, designers, organizers and community members with deep roots in the D.C. Salvadoran community.

Thi documentary was made possible with support from the Diverse City Fund, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, HumanitiesDC, the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs and The Theatre Lab, among others.

Registration and Accessibility:

This screening will be followed by a panel discussion.

Registration is free, and walk-ins are welcome.

Seating is first come, first served.

To request a reasonable accommodation for this program, please contact the Center for Accessibility at  DCPLaccess@dc.gov or call (202) 727-2142. 

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