Cine las Americas: Yakuaya

Ok, so I already fail at keeping up with Operation: Conquer the Netflix Queue.  But, but only because yesterday was my only chance to go to Cine las Americas, an international film festival that focuses on the work of Latin filmmakers.  I went to a double feature of Ecuadorian documentaries.  The first was entitled A Wild Idea, a documentary short about the preservation of Ecuador's ITT Block.  It's one of the world's last remaining undeveloped rain forests, and the Ecuadorian government has developed the Yasuni-ITT Initiative to keep it that way.  Basically, the ITT Block is home to millions of barrels of oil which, if developed, would bring billions of dollars into the Ecuadorian economy.  However, it would also destroy the ecology of the area, depriving us of the natural resources of the forest and releasing millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the air, thus contributing to global climate change issues.  The initiative allows the country to leave those oil reserves untouched, thereby preserving the rain forest and its natural resources in exchange for payments from the world community equalling half of the dollar amount developing the oil reserves would yield.

In just under half an hour, A Wild Idea takes us through the history of the Initiative, gives us a glimpse into the beautiful heart of the rain forest, and introduces us to the indigenous people whose lives would be  destroyed by the development of the oil reserves in the ITT Block.  It's interesting to see the perspective of the people who actually live there.  Hearing their firsthand accounts of what happens to their lives when oil fields are developed is eye-opening, especially when paired with shots of polluted water sources and children playing around thick tar deposits, and the shots of the untouched rain forest are beautiful.  

Hopes were high for the Initiative, but at the time of filming, they were already running into some speed bumps, such as some countries not contributing as much as promised.  You can watch a trailer and learn more about the Initiative here.    

This was followed by an experimental documentary called Yakuaya, which literally translates to "water essence."  The film follows the journey of a drop of water as it makes its way from an arctic glacier to the ocean, and gives us a look at what it goes through and the lives it touches in between.  And it does so entirely without narration.  Much of the film is quite beautiful.  There is a section that follows a man as he paddles his canoe down a river, for example, that is stunning.  There is also a scene that shows a young woman showering that is really serene and lovely.  It also shows a water bottling plant, a group of villagers preparing fish for market, children playing, waterfalls, and a great deal more.  Its stated goal is to inspire reflection in its audience, which it achieved, for me at least, by just letting me watch and interpret each scene my own way.  In that sense, it's probably a very individual viewing experience, as different people will see the things on the screen differently.  The only places where I felt like narration might have been helpful were in a few places where the person, or people, featured in a preceding scene stare into the camera, with the effect that they are staring directly at the viewer, for a little longer than is comfortable.  But I applaud the filmmaker's effort to do something different, and overall, found it to be a beautiful and enjoyable viewing experience.  For a taste, check out the trailer.

Part two of my excuse for not watching one of my Netflix films yesterday: I also went to The Alchemist at The Curtain Theatre.  More on that later.