Pachamama

There has been some attempts of telling the story of the american conquest by the spaniards in the past, but they didn't focus so much in how the natives saw it, as most of the movies show the values of the descendants of the conquerors more than that of the conquered people, even though they have good intentions. This is a story told by the people who didn't have a voice, just how the descendants see it, without cliches, and with an astounding quality in visuals and music. Pierre Hammon's score is not just respectful and beautiful, but he created something original and interesting out of research and creativity.

The pictures are haunting and a piece of art. It was originally intended to be a stop motion technique, but they decided to do it in some sort of 2d that has nevertheless a stop motion sensation.

The story is indeed dark, as it was the real story, toned down for children and transformed into an abstract fantasy but without avoiding the message. It mocks the european conqueror that came to kill and steal resources from the natives, but also the Inca empire that did virtually the same to its people, so it's not entirely a one-sided vision. It might have some exaggerated moments, but we allow it as some kind of poetic justice, and besides it's a kid's movie.

Some elements of the pre-columbian culture shown could be a bit shocking for what we are allowed to see after children's movies pass the filter of globalization, but we must understand that this is how things were, we can criticize it, praise it or (ideally) a mixture of both, but not hide it.

The values of this movie are somehow near Miyasaki films, focused on the wonders and richness of our mother nature, which is a good message for future generations.

I had completely loved this movie, as other people had said this could be a sad movie in some ways, but this is what really happened when spaniards invaded South America, perhaps reality is sad but it's what truly happened, so this movie went to tackle an almost taboo part of southamerican history that is not visited often and much less from the side of the invaded and conquered, to those who are used to edulcorated disney versions, the director , producers and the rest of the movie ensemble, couldn't and wouldn't create a false reality of what happened just because it is not easy to swallow.

Being sad and all, the topic has been treated with decency and respect for the culture, perhaps thats difficult to understand because it is often believed that those who were conquered were less "civilized", but in fact they were more in tune with this world, I assume that it's time to revisit these concepts and accept what happened and observe what we are doing to this planet.

With an amazing and totally original art design, vibrant colors and exquisite music, Pachamama is a jewel of animation. The story is inspiring and carries a message love, respect and gratitude to Mother Earth. I had the chance to see it at the NYICFF, everybody loved it there!

One of the standout features of "Pachamama" is its animation style, which is visually stunning and incredibly detailed. The film's use of color and texture is particularly noteworthy, with the animation style evoking the rich cultural heritage of the Andean people. The film's vibrant and expressive characters are brought to life through fluid and imaginative animation, and the film's stunning landscapes are a feast for the eyes.

In addition to its impressive animation style, "Pachamama" is also notable for its strong storytelling. The film's plot is well-structured and engaging, and the characters are well-defined and relatable. The film's themes of tradition and cultural heritage are woven into the story in a subtle and effective manner, and the film's resolution is both satisfying and emotionally impactful.

This is a standard coming of age tale that is elevated by the setting. The tale of young kid learning the value of community and thinking about things larger than himself proceeds in a predictable manner with little narrative inventiveness. The story works but it follows a well worn path. I did appreciate that film didn't pull punches on the Spanish Conquistadors and portrayed them as the evil brutes they were. At least this coming of age film is more honest than most.

But what sets the film apart is the animation style. It has a wonderfully expressive quality that invokes the Inca influences while being very pleasant to look at. There is a otherworldly feel to many of the scenes that capture the feeling of a fairy tale.

I think kids would get a lot out of this film; more so than their parents.