Estados Generales by Mauricio Freyre begins in an unusual place: the Botanical Garden of Madrid, where lush vegetation hides traces of scientific expeditions to colonized territories. Among forgotten herbariums and drawings lie seeds that have remained nameless and without a destination for years. The film takes these seeds as a starting point for a deep reflection on colonial history and its legacy.

During the day, the garden reflects a natural and controlled order, but at night, two archivists carry out a secret action: they prepare the shipment of these seeds back to their place of origin in Latin America. Upon arriving in the Chincha Valley in Peru, a young woman receives this unexpected package, connecting with historical memory and the ongoing consequences of colonization.

Through carefully composed images, the film contrasts natural beauty with industrial practices and environmental exploitation that still persist, such as the intensive use of pesticides on crops. It also explores how women’s labor is affected by these global dynamics.

Freyre’s approach goes beyond objective documentation; the film introduces poetic elements and an almost spiritual sensitivity, inviting the viewer to see the seeds not only as botanical objects but as living symbols of resistance and memory. The act of planting the seeds at night, carried out by two children, serves as a small gesture of hope and repair in response to centuries of appropriation.

Estados Generales invites us to question the role of archives and museums: are they mere static repositories, or can they become spaces for dialogue and reconstruction? The film suggests that despite historical wounds, nature and memory can find ways to be reborn and challenge the dominant narrative.