This animated short from Chile tells the tale of creation based on "Popol Vuh: the Ancient Stories of the Quiché," written by the indigenous Maya Quiché people after the Spanish Conquest. The vibrant illustrations are taken from Mayan codices, paintings found on vessels, and stones carved with scenes from the "Popol Vuh" between the years 300-900 A.D. Accompanying the narrator is original music performed with pre-Columbian and other ethnographic instruments from the Americas. The text relates solely to the creation of the world and humankind, and gives the viewer a unique look into Mayan culture and history. The story is told in its native Spanish language, with English subtitles. Perfect for the K-12 classroom.
SELECTED SCREENINGS & AWARDS
Native American Film + Video Festival, Washington DC, November 2006
VIII Festival Internacional de Cine y Video de los Pueblos Indígenas, Mexico, 2006
Montreal First Peoples' Festival, Canada, 2007
Sin Fronteras Film Festival, New Mexico, 2007
Taiwan International Children's TV & Film Festival, 2008
Brooklyn International Film Festival, 2008
Latinamerika I Focus, Malmö, Sweden, 2008