Jaime Bateman. The Hippy Guerillero

Feature-length documentary . Written and directed by Luis Delgado. Produced by Emmanuel Laurent. A production Films À Trois .

Bateman was the charismatic leader of the Columbian guerilla group M19, an amazingly media friendly movement that was born in 1974, finally surrendering in 1990. Today, one can find many Colombians who wax nostalgically about M19 and Bateman, despite the confusion often made with the detestable terrorism of the FARC. The M19 was the equivalent of Californian hippies, France May 68 or New Yorkers' counter culture. And the M19 looked like its leader: a man from the Caribbean, irreverent and libertarian, who turned its back from sectarianism. He knew better than anyone what people were looking for and what they needed. Humor was his favored weapon to face the Columbian tragedy, and, to solve problems, he proposed a national dialog. He was the first to speak about peace in between the guerilla and the Columbian state government. "A remarkable man", described General Matallana who searched and fought Batemen for years, adding: "Had he not died, he could have brought the peace procedure to its end. He managed to bring the country to understand that people armed against the regime, full of romantic and patriotic feelings, had to be listen to". Jaime Bateman, The Guerillero Hippy draws a paradoxical portrait of the leader through his close friends and family, as well as his foes, and with never before seen archives and documents recently discovered.