The Fire We’ve Built

A frenetic view runs over a convulsed Mexico City, a colossal metropolis sustained by the myth of "mestizaje" and other colonial forms of violence. Past and present weave a flurry of images; fragmented memories of this land. Ancient deities are incarnated, while dreams overlap among intimacy, complicity and the tumult. This is an erratic film that invites us to reimagine the complex relationship we have with the constructed “mexicanidad.”

Ziuta, a Polish Jewish survivor of World War II, was an extraordinary woman who sparked special devotion for her political commitment and her support for clandestine struggle. As a teenager, Ziuta weathered exile with fortitude and determination, saving her mother and other relatives from perishing in their flight. Despite the horrors and scarcity she endured, she upheld a grateful outlook on life.

Oskar Alegría embarks on a journey to recover the past. With a Super-8 camera that once belonged to his father and has remained untouched for 41 years, he plans to retrace the path of the shepherd: the journey of transhumance that his grandfather undertook in his youth, following now-forgotten coordinates. The result is a film that delights in the search —as well as the many detours along the way.