i am so so so glad i watched this one. visually stunning. fantastic performances from the actors. subject matter hit a lil too close to home lol! but in a good way thats made me super reflective thinking abt my own elders and what it means to be old and knowing your time is coming soon. Also despite its hyperlocal subject matter (the largest venue being a small village of probably less than a hundred in the highlands of bolivia), there's obviously a larger global aspect to it, with the drought being a keystone element to the film and the cause most likely being climate change. leaving to better pastures might seem like the obvious knee-jerk solution one might pose to those living in areas most affected by climate change, but that also means abandoning the life you've known and love and is sacred to you. and is it truly better to add a few more years to your life, even if that life is one that's not recognizable to you?
this film is deeply spiritual, both in the question it poses as well as the use of quechuan culture and symbols (condor, water, and the mountain) in its storytelling. each of the shots with the grandpa and the mountain in the background, phew!!! powerful. im not sure what the future of this movie looks like in terms of a wide release, but heavily encourage anyone to seek this one out if they can