“Green Butterflies” (2017) – A Heartbreaking Tale of Youth, Love, and Silence
Green Butterflies (original title Mariposas Verdes) is a raw and poignant Colombian drama directed by Gustavo Nieto Roa, released in 2017. Set in a prestigious high school in Colombia, the film explores the emotional turmoil and societal backlash faced by two teenage boys, Mateo and Daniel, after they fall in love. What begins as a tender young romance quickly unravels under the weight of homophobia, bullying, and institutional indifference.
Mateo, played brilliantly by Deivi Duarte, is a bright and confident student admired by his peers. His world takes a brutal turn when he confesses his feelings to Daniel, portrayed with quiet dignity by Kevin Bury. The boys’ relationship is eventually exposed—first in whispers and then with brutal public shaming—and suddenly the couple becomes vulnerable to cruelty from classmates and adults alike. Rather than receiving protection or understanding, they confront hostility in the corridors of their school and silence from those who should support them.
The drama is grounded in realism. Teachers, administrators, and even family members fail to intervene or offer guidance. Instead of fostering empathy, the adults in the film react with shame, denial, or passive compliance. The school principal becomes a symbol of institutional failure—rules are enforced to punish rather than protect. In one deeply affecting scene, Mateo reaches out to his mother seeking solace, yet she fails to truly see him. That moment conveys a tragic truth: silence and inaction can be as harmful as outright hostility.
The film’s emotional core lies in its portrayal of isolation and despair. Mateo and Daniel face relentless bullying and character assassination—rumors spread, reputations are destroyed, and empathy disappears. When their options narrow, the pressure becomes crushing. Mateo, especially, faces a harrowing choice: conceal his identity to survive, or embrace who he is and risk everything—including his life.
Critics and viewers have noted that the film doesn’t offer comforting resolutions or heroism. Instead, it ends with an open wound—a call to awareness. A powerful closing message underscores Colombia’s 2015 educational reform aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ students, grounding the story in real-world policy change that followed similar tragedies.
Both lead performances bring authenticity and emotional weight. Deivi Duarte’s portrayal of Mateo is raw and urgent, capturing the shifting tides of fear, hope, and grief. Kevin Bury’s Daniel serves as a balancing presence—a quieter internal strength that contrasts with Mateo’s turbulence. The supporting cast—teachers, classmates, and family—offers a chilling mosaic of complacency and cruelty.
The Colombian setting further underscores the film’s themes. Shot in contemporary schools and familiar urban neighborhoods, the environment feels lived-in and ordinary. This everyday backdrop makes the story’s emotional stakes all the more real: prejudice, shame, and silence don’t come from fantasy—they exist in real schools and homes.
In summary, Green Butterflies is more than a coming-of-age romance—it’s a courageous social drama confronting homophobia, generational silence, and institutional inertia. It resists melodrama in favor of painful realism, challenging audiences to recognize the real costs of indifference. The film lingers long after viewing, like fragile wings hovering in memory—beautiful, fleeting, and full of loss.
