The Wind and The Water (Burgua dii Ebo )
A young indigenous teen seeking his fortune in Panama City struggles to acclimate to chaotic urban life, where he becomes enamored with a girl from a wealthy, assimilated family. Later, he encounters his crush once again–but this time the landscape and tradition define their interaction. {IMDb}
I met Vero, the director of The Wind and the Water, at a press meet and greet. The background of the film is fascinating. This is the first feature length narrative shot in Panama. It’s about the Kuna people and culture, who live in a collection of 365 islands off the coast of Panama. Their culture has remained largely untouched and unaltered since its creation, but of course now they’re facing modern problems with young Kuna’s leaving the islands to live in Panama City and developers wanting to turn their native land into beach resorts.
Overall I enjoyed the film. There were parts where the dialogue was just dry exposition, but overall the film was enjoyable and educational. It really captured the Kuna culture and what they’re facing today.
Oblivion (El Olivido)
Overall a good doc on Lima, Peru. It took some time to get into since there’s no one main subject and narrative, but instead segments of individual interviews and stories that together weave a portrait of Lima and its modern history.
My biggest complaint, and something I’ve never experienced before, was the subtitling. The timing was awful. It would ruin jokes by showing the next line of dialogue before cutting to the visual.
