La Intención Del Colibrí (The Hummingbird’s Intention)

Juan tries to rescue his lover Ulises from artistic obscurity after his passing by bringing his last paintings out of dark storage and into the light. This is a love story between life and death, and a moving portrait of an artist whose fiercely vulnerable work is finally brought into the light it deserves.

Ulises Beisso was a daring and accomplished artist whose erotic and autobiographical work spanned over three decades while Uruguay transitioned from a period of dictatorship and repression through to a time of increased freedom and cultural expression. When he passed away from pancreatic cancer, his estate was divided, with half remaining fragmented and concealed by his mother’s shame. But Juan refuses to let his lover’s work remain hidden from the world, and what follows is a moving effort to preserve and exhibit Ulises legacy. Through interviews with Juan, we are introduced to Ulises’ work and his unique commitment to his craft, and to a tender and resilient relationship that transformed them both.

This compelling love story is also a personal love letter from director Segio de León to his mentors. Meeting Juan and Ulises at the age of 19 opened up his eyes to world in which love and art were possible. His directorial eye is as much a tribute to Ulises as the content of the interviews with Juan, as he attempts to represent someone dear but absent. Ulises haunts every frame, a gentle ghost shining through the veil. Without him, his work speaks him into the present.