Educational Media Reviews Online

Alberto Cortés documentary, Maize in Times of War (El maíz en tiempos de guerra) follows four families: an indigenous Wixárika (Huichol) family in northern Jalisco, an Ayuuk (Mixe) family in Oaxaca, and two Tzeltal families in the jungles of Chiapas. We witness these families preparing traditional maize seed, sowing their crops and preparing the harvested maize to make into tortillas and pozol. Cortés does not provide general narration, but instead allows these families to narrate the film using their native languages. They reflect on the importance of their crops, the practical “how to” knowledge passed down to them by their ancestors, as well as provide more philosophical thoughts on the industrialization of farming and the need to preserve their traditional, unmodified seeds and crops as they are faced with governmental pressure to accept genetically modified seed, as well as commercial farming techniques and machinery. Cortés does not impose his opinions on these issues. He simply lets his documentary subjects express theirs. Closed captioning is available on Vimeo in English and Spanish, and is highly recommended given the variety of indigenous languages spoken in the film.

The film is technically well done, cinematographer, Marc Bellver, provides clear shots of the land and people. His close-up shots of the crops are particularly clear, showcasing strong healthy maize stalks and healthy pumpkin vines. Cortés provides screen titles introducing the families and their locations but leaves them off after the initial introduction. It would have been helpful if he had provided these screen titles at least a second time which would allow the audience to better identify each family and their region.

While not necessary, it would be helpful for viewers to have some prior knowledge of the history of these regions of Mexico and the issues facing the various indigenous populations, particularly in terms of reclaimed/repatriated land, government treatment, and organized crime. These issues are referenced often in the film, but given the documentary’s structure, there isn’t a way to neatly integrate historical or cultural context or background without disrupting the flow of the film’s story.

I recommend this film for college to general adult viewers. The film would enhance discussion on agrarianism, industrialization, indigenous peoples and traditions, as well as genetically modified food. It would be applicable to courses in anthropology, indigenous language studies, agriculture, politics, Latin American studies, and food science.