Educational Media Reviews Online

As the world continues to grapple with the many, proliferative effects of climate change, responses to a changing environment are often personal, cultural, and reflect dynamic interactions between people, their environment, and outside groups. The Luck of Water shows three groups within the coastal region of Oaxaca, Mexico, each contending with drought, pollution, and inadequate, or even adverse, governmental action. Mixtecos, indigenous peoples of Oaxaca, travel to sacred sites to appeal to divine beings for relief from severe drought. Farmers and those living in Oaxaca’s more urbanized areas are concerned with the pollution affecting a continually dwindling supply of clean water and use collective action to push for more sanitary conditions. Afro-Mexican fishermen, extremely in-tune with the ecology of the lagoon responsible for their livelihoods, have established rules for fishing that preserve an increasingly delicate area exacerbated by the government’s counterproductive interventions.

The presentation in the film is extremely bare-bones. There is no overarching narration to tie the interviews together, but this ultimately centers the experiences of Oaxaca residents, allowing space for their unique perspectives and knowledge. Brief clips of an animated map help orient audiences unfamiliar with Oaxaca’s geography and signal shifts in the film’s focus. Still, viewers who are unfamiliar with the region’s features and communities will benefit from reviewing the filmmaker’s study guide before watching The Luck of Water, as it provides a helpful overview along with links to additional resources.

The Luck of Water is recommended for educational settings that examine climate change from an anthropological perspective. Oaxaca’s complex environmental conditions, features, and community needs could also make the film a productive addition to classes focusing on water management.

Awards:
Special Award for Community Films, FICWALLMAPU The Int’l Films & Indigenous Arts Festival, Chile

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