Alma, a Tale of Violence

"I was fifteen when I wanted to join a gang." And to join the gang, Alma had to commit murder - there were no two ways about it. This is how Alma, now 26, opens her confession, seemingly unmoved by the violence of her memories. For five years, Alma was a member of the Maras, one of the most violent gangs in Guatemala. Photographer Miquel Dewever-Plana and journalist Isabelle Fougère allow Alma to tell her story on various platforms: aside from the interactive web and tablet application, they have also created a TV version, a photo exhibition and a pair of books. The interactive tablet version brings all these elements together. The user has the option to switch back and forth between two image streams, presented one above the other. The bottom screen shows Alma against a black background, telling her story - from her initiation to her violent struggle to leave the gang. The second screen, which is accompanied by an immersive sound mix, contextualizes Alma's story (which continues in voice-over) through Dewever-Plana's photographs and drawings by Hugues Mìcal. The app also offers four modules that provide more information on Guatemala, the Maras, the country's violence and what could be done about it.