The story of a woman’s extraordinary ongoing fight for justice after her husband was murdered in the Chilean military coup of 1973 comes to the University next month.

Joyce Horman, whose husband Charles was murdered following the coup in which General Augusto Pinochet overthrew the democratically elected government, will be giving a talk about the events surrounding her husband’s disappearance and her 30-year long struggle to find answers to what happened and why.

As well as a talk, there will be a screening on March 3 at 7pm in LTB 10 of the acclaimed film Missing, directed by Costa Gavras and based on Thomas Hauser’s book The Execution of Charles Horman: An American Sacrifice. The film, which won Best Film and Best Actor at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival, portrays the events of the coup and the search for Charles by Joyce and her father-in-law.

Joyce Horman’s talk, which takes place the following day (March 4) at 5pm in the Senate Room, will include a look back at events of the time, the impact of the film on international Human Rights and the lawsuits the Horman family was engaged in against Pinochet and Henry Kissinger and other officials of the Nixon Administration, who were accused of being complicit in Charles’ death.

Both events are being organised jointly by the Department of Government, Latin American Studies, Human Rights Centre, Department of LiFTS/Centre for Film Studies, Transitional Justice Network Film Series and the Vice Chancellor’s Office. Organiser, Marian de Vooght said: ‘Joyce tells me her address will be a personal, historical reprise that touches on diverse aspects of the family's push for answers.’

Register for the film and/or the talk on 01206 872400 or email events@essex.ac.uk.