‘Atalaya’ is the Spanish word for watchtower. It’s also the name of the Chilean islands where in 1998 debris was found from the boat belonging to my seafaring father, Gerry Roufs, lost at sea.

ATALAYA is a personal essay in which the filmmaker explores the state and the places connected with the death of her Canadian seafaring father, Gerry Roufs, lost at sea in 1997 during the Vendée Globe, a single-handed non-stop round the world yacht race.

Director's Biography:

Based in Montreal and Berlin, Emma Roufs is a filmmaker who’s particularly interested in themes related to memory while experimenting with both analog and digital technology. Emma is a member and administrator of VISIONS, and co-founder of 'la lumière collective', two entities dedicated to dissemination and promotion of experimental film practices based in Montreal, Canada. After completing her masters in film studies, she worked for film festivals including Festival du nouveau cinéma and Festival international du film de La Rochelle. She now works as well as a translator with T&S Coop, a cooperative dedicated to translating and subtitling films. Her first film “on breathing” (2017) was presented in America and in Europe.