ABSTRACT
This essay discusses Lourdes Portillo's 2001 documentary Señorita Extraviada/Missing Young Woman, which investigates the missing and murdered women in Juárez, Mexico. Through her compassionate use of testimonio, effective juxtaposition of documentary evidence, and incorporation of avant-garde techniques, Portillo forcefully shows how documentary can be deployed to powerful political ends as she creates an effective counter-narrative to challenge the silence and impunity surrounding the crimes. The essay argues that the web of complicity she evokes in her documentary makes visible the transnational context of and accountability for the circumstances enabling the crimes to continue.
