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FICM held second day of Forum Indigenous Women Filmmakers

Aranza Flores @Alvayeah

On the second day of the Forum Indigenous Women Filmmakers: identity and new narratives, one of the most disturbing themes of current cinema was addressed: equality, equity and gender perspective cinema. On this occasion, documentary maker, politologist, curator and researcher, Christiane Burkhard spoke with several filmmakers about their motivations and the main issues they have faced as Indigenous women.

In the conversation participated the Zapotecs Ingrid Eunice Fabián and Luna Marán, director of Tío Yim, documentary in competition at the Festival; Yolanda Cruz, from the Chatino community; Iris Belén Villalpando, belonging to the Yoreme de Ahome population in Sinaloa; activist Zenaida Pérez, originally from the Ayuujk (mixe) community of Tlahuitoltepec, and María Sojob, a Tzotzil woman whose documentary feature film Tote_Abuelo is also part of the Official Selection of this edition of the FICM.

“It is very important to us to have been given this space of reflection and community, because by being here we can inspire more women to come out,” said Yolanda Cruz, who has participated in previous editions with works such as Reencuentros: entre la memoria y la nostalgia and Guenati’za: Los que vienen de visita; her short film Reencuentros: 2501 migrantes is also screening in cinemas.

Additionally, Luna Marán acknowledged: “I have been a result of the steps that other women have taken in the appropriation of the media by Indigenous people,” since most speakers studied communication and have experience in media.

The fact that there is a space to share different perspectives, of the variety of languages and existing ways of seeing reality, even among the same populations, is a way of fighting the discrimination rooted in Mexican culture. “Mexico is very diverse, but within the same media a single way of being Mexican has been spread in the collective imagination. From my activism I seek to promote the diversity that exists. The word diversity is very beautiful and it sounds easy, but materializing it is a challenge,” reflected Zenaia Pérez.