The Quibdó Africa Film Festival 2025, with its theme "Invisible Borders", invites us to reflect on the barriers that limit Afro-descendant communities. In this context, we imagine a meeting between two giants of Afro thought: Frantz Fanon and Arnoldo Palacios. Fanon, a psychiatrist, philosopher and activist born in Martinique, is recognized for his analysis of decolonization and the effects of colonialism on the psyche of oppressed peoples. For his part, Arnoldo Palacios, a writer and poet born in Chocó, Colombia, dedicated his work to portraying the realities of his region and the struggles of Afro-descendants in his country.
In this "Improbable Dialogue," Fanon and Palacios meet in a symbolic space where their ideas converge to analyze this visible and invisible borders that cross the lives of Afro-descendant communities.
The meeting
Let us imagine a quiet afternoon in a literary café in Quibdó, where the breeze from the Atrato River caresses the words. Fanon, dressed with his characteristic elegance, attentively observes Palacios, who carries with him a notebook full of notes and poems. The first to speak is Fanon, with his firm and passionate voice:
— Arnoldo, your work "Las estrellas son negras" moves me deeply. You describe so powerfully the barriers that your people face. How do you see those borders in the context of your native Chocó?
Palacios, after a thoughtful pause, answers:
— Frantz, in Chocó the borders are not only geographical, but also social. They are in poverty, in structural racism, in state neglect. But I also see how the cultural resistance of my people breaks those barriers, like a river that finds its way despite the obstacles.
Fanon nods, acknowledging the force in Palacios's words:
—These barriers you mention are also psychological. In my book "Black Skin, White Masks" I talk about how colonialism strips people of their identity and forces them to wear masks to survive in a world that marginalizes them. How do you see this reflected in your experience as a writer?
Palacios responds with an emotional tone:
— I see it in every character in my work. The pain of alienation, the struggle to preserve identity in a world that demands you deny it. But I also see hope. In words, in stories, in art, we find a way to resist and reaffirm who we are.
Borders and resistance
The dialogue flows into how invisible borders are also a tool of resistance. Fanon speaks of the need to decolonize minds in order to break down the barriers imposed by the oppressor. Palacios, in turn, highlights the power of language as a tool to challenge those borders:
— Language can be a powerful weapon, Frantz. I write to give voice to those who have been silenced. My stories are a testimony to the fact that, although borders exist, they are not indestructible.
Fanon, with a look of admiration, adds:
— And it is in this resistance that we find our true strength. Cinema, literature, music are ways of subverting the imposed order. They are our weapons to dismantle invisible borders.
This imaginary encounter between Frantz Fanon and Arnoldo Palacios encapsulates the spirit of the Quibdó África Film Festival 2025. Their ideas, although separated by time and space, converge in a powerful message: the invisible borders faced by Afro-descendant communities can be challenged and overcome through art, critical thinking and collective resistance.
At the end of this symbolic conversation, Fanon and Palacios say goodbye with a handshake that transcends the barriers of time, leaving an indelible lesson: the fight for dignity and identity is a path that is best traveled in dialogue, building bridges where others have raised walls.
Comments