Agriculture and mining are among the main economic sectors in Latin America, which is one of the earth’s most biodiverse regions. Working (with) the land is vital for the inhabitants of the Andean nations. They live and survive off and with the earth. From the mines in the highlands to the Pacific coast: the programme Tierra vital showcases the breathtaking beauty and mysticism of the Andean nature, which is barren as well as opulent – and often acutely threatened by outside influences.
Summits and Ashes Fernando Criollo / Peru 2020 / 17'25" / DCP / colour/black & white / Quechua/Spanish / Exp/Doc
We walk towards the highest our legs and our thoughts allow. Here, where the oxygen is diluted with each step, our breaths intermingle with the music and are lost among the explosions, screams, and infinite mountains. The wind carries all the living weight on its shoulders and sings in the language of the chosen ones. The vestiges of a clash between two worlds await us. Will we meet again?
Guillermina (70) is an Aymara shepherdess who faces loneliness and the annihilation of her environment as a result of mining exploitation in the vicinity of her town. Her only companion is the puma that stalks her.
Tierra Mojada Juan Sebastián Mesa / Colombia 2017 / 17' / DCP / colour / Spanish / Fic
In a jungle canyon, Oscar (13) finishes making two shallow graves. His house is located in the midst of a large hydroelectric project, and it is the last day before they are expelled. A chainsaw is heard in the distance. An exhausted Oscar enters his home for the last time. His elderly grandparents are patiently waiting in the kitchen.
Earth's Children Diego Sarmiento / Peru 2014 / 14'51" / DCP / colour / Spanish/Quechua / Doc
Early every morning, young Jorge harvests bananas with his machete. Back in his village after breakfast, he wanders in the lush wilderness around the Amazon headwaters with his friends. Childhood could hardly be more carefree or peaceful.
Cali, 2019. A large fire on the hill of Cristo Rey unleashes a series of strange events in the east of the city. Young black girls between 11 and 14 disappear. The Caleños are far from understanding the power of the Pacific that came to the city to take back its own.
The Andes mountain range stretches from Argentina, where it serves as a natural border with Chile, up north through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, where it splits into three branches, one of which extends into Venezuela. The eight curated programmes presented here are the result of a comprehensive audiovisual enquiry into this vast territory. Los Estados Andinos seeks to offer a panorama of the political, social, cultural, and artistic scene of these seven nations, exploring the idiosyncrasies and traditions of each as well as their collective identity and common grounds.
The Latin American film industry, and specifically the film scene in the Andes nations, expanded according to each country’s economic capacity and willingness to invest. It has also been directly connected to social and political turmoil, both within the region and under the influence of external events. While cinema arrived around 1896 and slowly started to disseminate, it was only in the 1940s and 50s that some local productions started to bloom after each nation implemented laws promoting the film industry. Some countries stood out in this respect, Argentina chief amongst them. After World War II, and with the impact of the Cuban Revolution, a new cinematic culture awakened and quickly became politicized. During this period, filmmakers found inspiration in eclectic sources, mainly from abroad, which triggered a phase of exploration.
The 1960s and early 70s were pivotal: the new Latin American cinema movement, forged in a postcolonial environment and ignited by popular movements seeking cultural, political, and economic autonomy, brought a break with established filmmaking practice. The movement intended to reveal Latin American realities with their multiple contrasts and insisted on searching for the overlooked, placing entirely new themes centre stage, such as the collective memory of the excluded. It was a highly critical anti-establishment and anti-mainstream movement aimed at creating a cinema that ignites sociopolitical transformation. Beginning with a fruitful production of films in Argentina and Chile, the movement spread widely through the region to Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and beyond. At the same time, several national movements emerged, striving to develop an autochthonous cinema of auteur films.
The second half of the 1970s brought a decline in cinematic production in the region, along with the rise of dictatorships and a decrease in funds. Many filmmakers went into exile and continued to work from abroad. The 1980s were characterized by struggle, dependency on state support, and precarious channels of distribution. Since the 1990s, industries in the region have once again experienced significant growth and an undeniable creative wave, above all in Argentina, which is rightly seen as a powerhouse of film production, but also in Chile and Colombia. Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, in turn, are often overlooked, yet they are developing relevant bodies of work that shine a light on indigenous lives in contemporary times.
We are aware of the immense diversity that characterizes the region and of the individuality and particularity of each country. We don’t seek to homogenize or equalize their experiences by any means. Instead, with our selection, we want to feature the multiculturalism of these nations while at the same time portraying their shared experiences in recent and contemporary times. The programmes are not organized by nation; instead, they are thematically structured.
Three programmes explore the socio-political realities in the Andean nations. While two of them, Working the Land and Critical Contrasts, take a historical perspective, Andean Paradox focuses on the present and on a growing tendency to regain agency through action. The programme Tierra vital features a journey through landscapes that shape and condition cultural and identity practices and imaginaries. The sense of belonging is intertwined with the sense of place. Family Comes First, as the title suggests, addresses the importance of family relationships, the struggles and affection between family members. The queer experience and the exploration of bodily autonomy in the region is given a window in the programme Free Your Mind, Free Your Body. Finally, Stories of the Uncanny and Blurred Lines echo each other. The former uses animation as a medium to address difficult, strange, and seemingly dissimilar topics that attract and repel at the same time; the latter is inspired by magic realism, capturing the spirit of the supernatural encapsulated within the mundane. It is an evocative programme, an amalgamation of the real and the magical.
The Andes are a region of many facets. They come with a halo of mystery and mysticism. As a Colombian curator who lived in Europe for several years, I have a sense of the manifold associations of the term «Latin America». Many see us with the eyes of desire and yearning, others with great fear. There are those who observe us with interest and genuine curiosity, while others want to exploit our territories. We are also said to be incredibly open and warm, happy and loving people who welcome everyone with open arms and hearts. Our nations are usually associated with political and social instability, an assessment that is then contrasted with the beauty of our inhabitants and the majestic and varied landscapes of our countries. Despite the stereotypes and what we evoke in the world’s imagery, we surely are a pluricultural and multi-ethnic region that shares the same territory and colonial past and yet encompasses diverse countries with different political and socioeconomic realities and complexities.
Text: Mariana Bonilla Rojas Curated by Mariana Bonilla Rojas, John Canciani, Laura Walde, Federico Windhausen
Tierra vital
Snow-covered mountain peaks, endless Pacific beaches, and forests as far as the eye can see. The Andean nations offers tourists from around the world a spectacular panorama of nature. The fauna and flora of these countries are among the most diverse in the world. This rich environment also affects the life and survival of the people. In Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela, agriculture and mining remain among the main economic sectors to this day. They involve demanding and sometimes dangerous work. At the same time, the symbiosis between humans and their environment – the spirit of give-and-take, the cycle of life, death, and rebirth – is especially pronounced in this part of the world.
The programme’s title, Tierra vital, is a reference to the survival of people off and with the land; but both humans and nature are threatened by outside influences. «Tomorrow/Before» follows the journey of an older woman, who is forced to leave her home in Chile’s breathtakingly beautiful mountains after her husband’s death. The Colombian film «Tierra Mojada» employs stunning imagery to lament the destruction of nature – and with it, the livelihood of many, mostly indigenous people. «Earth’s Children» from Peru offers a different perspective: «I’m going to my field, where the fruits of the lands are … Let’s go harvest» – this is the song of children who start their work of harvesting bananas early in the morning, but who also indulge in the freedoms and pleasures of a simple rural life.
Tierra vital also means living earth. Nature and the environment have an almost figural presence in the lives of the inhabitants – earth as a family member and provider. The programme is framed by the films «Summits and Ashes» and «Pacifico Oscuro», which both show mystical, even magical dimensions of nature in the Andean cultures, though without trying to explain anything that eludes scientific understanding. Last but not least, Tierra vital is also a journey: from the high peaks of the Andes through lush forests to the Pacific coast.
The programme of the 28th Kurzfilmtage will be released on 16 October 2024.
Short Films
A short film is not just a shorter film. Shorts are a distinct art form, which we showcase at our annual festival.
Short films come in all shapes and genres, and how long – or short – they are, varies quite a bit. Simpler production processes allow filmmakers to capture the zeitgeist and quickly respond to trends. Shorts can be entertaining or surprising, they can analyse society, take a political stance, or offer glimpses of worlds unknown to us.
We compile our short films into thematic programmes or specific sections, such as our competitions, paying close attention to the selection and sequence of films in each programme. All you need to enjoy short films is an open mind for new discoveries and surprises.
The Festival
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur is Switzerland’s major short film festival. For six days every November, we transform the city into a dynamic short film hub.
Kurzfilmtage offers discoveries for everyone: our thoughtfully compiled thematic programmes address current events or topics that our curators are passionate about. The competition programmes showcase the latest filmmaking from around the globe, while installations, performances, and other specials highlight the diversity of audiovisual forms. And a programme of special events including concerts, readings, and more enhance the festival experience.
