Pictured H.E. Gabriel Aguilera Peralta, Ambassador of Guatemala.
By Viviana Knorr.
On 17 May, the Embassy of Guatemala and the Hispanic Association of The Hague organised a showing of the Guatemalan film Donde nace el sol “Where the sun rises”, Platinum Nominated for Iberoamerican Film Awards 2014 and one of Oscars 2015 best foreign language film contenders in the Americas.
The President of the Spanish Association of The Hague Mrs Edith Bergansius introduced H. E. Gabriel Aguilera Peralta, Ambassador of Guatemala in The Hague. He presented the film produced by Casa Comal in Kqchi!e, a Maya’s language and 36 Maya film program students.
The audience was made up of a mixture of Dutch and international viewers who enjoy the acclaimed film by director Elias Jimenez (2013) over a beautiful story focusing on the indigenous Maya‘s beliefs and legends. “Where the Sun is Born” is surely a visually powerful film with a current message.
The film’s main character is young woman whose origin are Maya. She witnesses the invasion of her homeland immediately to set away and run to survive. Four stories are alluding critical historical moments over the course of the last half millennium. A nomadic existence is portrayed to show how live as a refugee has hardly changed across the centuries.
The main protagonist lives during the time of the conquest, so have to flee their lands to survive.
Throughout its history the sufferings of the Maya peoples are shown, but also their spiritual and cultural wealth, showing key aspects of the latter, as the close relationship with nature and respect for ancestors. Donde nace el sol, teaches how despite the Spanish invasion, the Maya worldview has endured in history.
The film was shot thanks to financial support from several institutions, including the Comal House and the Norwegian Embassy.
Some of the locations were Guatemala, Tikal, Yaxha, Zaculeu, Quirigua, Iximché, Los Cuchumatanes, Rio Dulce and Villa Florence in Antigua.
