Canicula 2011
Distributed by Cinema Guild, 115 West 30th Street, Suite 800, New York, NY 10001; 212-685-6242
Producer n/a
Directed by Jose Álvarez
DVD, color, 72 min.
College - General Adult
Latin American Studies, Anthropology
Date Entered: 09/04/2012
Reviewed by Cindy Badilla-Melendez, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MNBeautifully shot, this documentary focusses on the rites, ceremonies, dances, and pottery of the Totonac people from the Zapotal Cruz community in Veracruz, Mexico.
The film follows Hermelinda, one of the women of the town, as she works on pottery; and also follows the voladores in their practice of a rite. The dance of the volares or fliers is a pre-Columbian ritual that consists of five dancers climbing a tall pole. After climbing to the top of the pole, one of the dancers stands in the middle of the platform dancing and playing the flute and the drum. The other four dancers stay on its sides and start spinning in circles, with ropes tied to their feet, before they reach the ground. The four represent north, south, east and west. The dance also pays tribute to the seasons of the year. As a tradition the dance is passed from son to son.
The film is 72 minutes long and there is not much narration. It feels very slow-moving with long shots which are not necessarily following a storyline. Some parts could be cut. If you read the cover before watching the documentary you would understand the main idea, otherwise you can watch the entire film and still not be sure what it is about. It is very interesting, but it is more artistic than academic. As mentioned before, it is attractively shot but not necessarily a video for a group of undergraduate students due to the length and lack of dialogue. Cut to 45 minutes with a narration explaining the rituals and customs would have made a very good documentary. The picture and sound qualities are good. It is in Spanish with subtitles in English.
Awards
- Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, FIPRESCI Award Winner