Yuban (Tierra viva)

A visual essay on the life of the Zapotecan community, who have a very close relationship to the earth, in the village of San Francisco Canojos in the Sierra Juárez, southern Mexico. Children are taught not to stomp on the ground, spit or otherwise insult the earth, because the earth (or Yuban) is alive. The voice-over speaks in greater detail about the community's ancient customs, traditions and sayings, which are often characterized by an awareness of everything the earth gives to humans. Images of the impressive environment pass by as in a dream - the mountains bathed in sunlight or shrouded in thick mist - and we also observe life in the village as the inhabitants prepare for their annual carnival celebrations. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)