Nick Higgins was studying in Mexico in 1997 when an event occurred which changed his life. After a bloody massacre of 45 indigenous people in the small Southern Mexico village of Acteal, Nick was one of the few western observers allowed to visit the scene of the crime. Witnessing the effect of the carnage, he vowed to spread the word about the little-reported atrocity committed by unknown paramilitaries. A few years later he wrote a doctorate book about events (Understanding The Chiapas Rebellion), but soon realised that a book was not the best way to gain coverage for the event.

So, five years later, and after reinventing himself as a documentary filmmaker, Nick premiered his labour-of-love documentary A Massacre Foretold at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival. The 58-minute doc examines the massacre in Acteal, talking to survivors, villagers and people who explain the political situation in Mexico which triggered events. It's a powerful and shocking movie, and one which pinpoints the involvement of figures high up in the Mexican political system for the massacre.

In the video above Nick talks about the making of the documentary and why he's lived up to the promise he made villagers way back in 1997.

Adrian Hennigan | Published 25 August 07

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