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The Struggle for Autonomy and Freedom: An Interview with Ana Ts'uyeb, Director of LI CHAM

Ariadna Lucas Coronel

To transgress towards a future in which patriarchal violence is no longer part of the customs and habits, it is necessary that a part of us, or of society, dies.

In Li Cham (2024), a documentary that is part of the Official Selection of the 22nd Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), Ana Ts'uyeb immerses us in the story of three Tsotsil women who, through their experiences, represent the struggle for economic autonomy and freedom in an intimate journey.

This work not only portrays the challenges of these women in their daily environments but also explores the breaking of stereotypes and the processes of transformation in a community deeply marked by customs and traditions.

At the center of her narrative, hope emerges, not only as an individual quest but as a collective possibility, where women are protagonists of their own future and that of the generations that follow them.

EL FICM spoke with director Ana Ts'uyeb before the screening of Li Cham at the 22nd FICM.

FICM: What inspired you to tell the story of the three Tsotsil women in Li Cham - one of them, I understand, is your mother - and how was the process of selecting the protagonists?

Ana Ts'uyeb: The story began in 2018; there were four characters and the one who inspired me to work on the theme, the story, is my mom. In the process of production or development of the project, the three women became involved, because it is also another process to make a documentary about your family or people close to you. And so it was the same story that led me to talk through three characters, because there are three generations, and each woman plays different roles in her family and has her own struggle, both in her family and in the community.

FICM: The documentary addresses these women's struggle for economic autonomy in a complex context. What was it like for you to document and represent these dynamics within their communities?

Ana Ts'uyeb: The main issue, from my questioning as a Tsotsil woman and also being part of the context, are the uses and customs, where there is a lot of violence in women's lives, which puts them at a disadvantage and limits their freedom. And so it was something complex and continues to be complex within the community,  not only in the rural community but also at the social level, due to patriarchal violence. Working on this issue, well, yes, it is also complex. To be part of the community is to break these cultural stereotypes. Because, historically, in the communities, there are very few opportunities for women to leave to exercise another profession. The same thing happens in history, where they were deprived of that right, that freedom. And arriving as director and daughter, and being part of the community, was another challenge for me too, because for the community it was something new. Especially with the authorities or with men, who questioned why I was working only with women a lot. And so it was another process and challenge for me, for the production team, as well as for the characters in deciding to be part of this documentary.

FICM: The documentary has a strong focus on the future of these women's children. How do you hope viewers will reflect on the role of motherhood in the context of the struggle for autonomy and equality?

Ana Ts'uyeb: Yes, this film inspired me above all to make it for the new generations, for women, but also on a social level. That's why the title says "I died"; often in life each one of us dies for something or a part of us dies. And so we are living in a generation where life and challenges have been complex. Sharing this story, where we see and hear very heartbreaking situations that have happened, such as, for example, the death of each character's baby; the death of family members... Those deaths were due to violence. And so they are very violent and tough stories, and yet we see the three women, not playing the role of victims, but in roles that show hope for new generations. Despite the adversities, challenges and complexity of their context, they are moving forward and envisioning a life of greater hope for their children. In this case, in the film we see another generation of each character. That's where I come into the film. Another of the protagonists is younger, my age, and we see how she plays, teaches and shares with her children. And she also seeks and visualizes hope and a life much better than hers. The other woman, whose daughter is her main concern, she is passing that knowledge on to her to continue these cultural practices. So, this film seeks to generate a reflection but also to inspire and offer relief to other women. It is a very hard story, but it's also a hopeful one. 

FICM: In some moments of the documentary we listen to these women while we see them going about their daily lives, and what we hear is heartbreaking, cruel, violent... What do you want to generate with this contrast between what we hear and what we see?

Ana Ts'uyeb: This film speaks of a past, of a present, but it also gives hope for the future. The decision to use voice-over is because we hear the past and we see the present of the women, already in their present life. They begin to speak from their childhood, adolescence and present life, after dealing with heartbreaking violence. I wanted to achieve that image of women's lives, because the three stories are not only three stories, but they also speak of many women in the communities, of many peasant women, of many mothers as well. And that is why, in this film, we see how they carry out different activities, but it also shows the daily life and the form of organization in the community. The film also shows in the images how these stereotypes are broken, where women are already leading activities that, according to customs and traditions, they were not considered to have the capacity to do. We see and hear a very strong past, where they were limited in everything, but we see a present where women are doing the opposite and are breaking with those stereotypes.

FICM: How do you feel your work contributes to the conversation around current Mexican cinema?

Ana Ts'uyeb: I feel that this film, this narrative proposal, is being generated from a Tsotsil woman's perspective. So, it is telling a story from a corner of Chiapas, and it is telling a universal story. Or rather, it is touching on a universal theme but it is telling the life of a very small community that has not been made visible as well.

FICM: Who is your favorite Mexican filmmaker of all time and why?

Ana Ts'uyeb: Well, I think I am, of the filmmakers in Chiapas, the youngest. So, it was my turn to be inspired or to see more recent works, and my idol is Tatiana Huezo, because I love her way of portraying and working with themes. Maybe the themes I'm working on are along the same lines. And the other women who inspire me a lot are all indigenous, such as Ángeles Cruz, Yolanda Cruz, and María Sojob (who is also from Chiapas). They are my examples to follow.

FICM:Where were you and how did you find out that you had been selected to participate in the festival? ?

Ana Ts'uyeb: I was at home. To be honest, it was so exciting, because I remember in 2019 I was listening to the discussion of women who got their start in filmmaking a long time ago, and one of them was Maria Sojob. So, listening to the conversation of many women was an inspiration for me when I wanted to make my documentary. I thought, "I wish I could get to that space and bring my mom's story, my aunt's story, and the stories of the women in my community." It was something I was really looking forward to, and it was wonderful news for me. And not only for me but also for the women in the movie, because when we finished the film we told them what we were thinking of doing. One of them will even attend the festival: my mother.