Pachamama

2009 VisionMaker Film Festival home

(102 minutes), Release Date: 2009, Filmmaker: Toshifumi Matsushita

PACHAMAMA is a spiritual tale set in Bolivia. The protagonist is a 13-year-old boy who lives in the traditional way, with his family near the salt lake of Uyuni. One spring he goes with his father on his first caravan. Strapping blocks of salt to the backs of their llamas, they follow the "Salt Trail" for months, exchanging the previous mineral for other products of the Andes. Along the way, through many experiences and encounters, the boy discovers who he is as a young man and a Quechua. As the trip comes to a close, he meets a beautiful girl at a festival. Their two young hearts awaken, as they share a simple but profound dream: the ride a bicycle together across the salt lake. By the end, he discovers what his grandmother meant by "the gift of Pachamama."