Andrés Madrigal’s debut documentary, ‘Lost Men’, explores a family secret uncovered after his grandfather’s death: that the man, married for 57 years, had lived as a closeted gay man in conservative Costa Rica. Premiering at the Costa Rica Film Festival, the film connects this revelation with Madrigal’s own queerness and considers how secrecy, masculinity and memory shape family lives.

Madrigal began filming after his grandfather died in a fire in 2019, seeking to preserve memories and writings that might otherwise disappear. He and his father developed the project slowly, setting boundaries for difficult conversations as they revisited grief and family wounds; the documentary also offers glimpses of Costa Rica’s queer nightlife and community.