Pakucha
(Pakucha)
Tito Catacora / Peru / 2021 / 81 min
Latino and Native American Film Festival
Excellence AwardContra el Silencio Todas las Voces
Best FilmTrujillo Film Festival
Honorable Mention Indigenous CategoryHot Docs Festival
ANTOFACINE
Best DocumentaryArica Nativa Rural Film Festival
Lima Film Festival
Colortape Film Festival
Pricing
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Aymara with English subtitles
In an Aymara community in the Peruvian southern Andes, an alpaquera family gathers to celebrate the ancient ritual of “uywa ch’uwa,” a practice steeped in centuries of tradition. This ceremonial act, dedicated to the “Pakucha,” the soul of the alpaca, offers profound insight into the spiritual and cultural fabric of Andean society.
Through this ritual, the family engages with the metaphysical dimensions of their worldview, immersing themselves in a sacred journey where mysticism, community, and the cycles of life intertwine. As we witness their immersion into the spiritual cosmos of the Andes, we are invited to explore deeper questions of indigenous cosmology, ecological relationships, and the preservation of ancestral knowledge.
This ethnographic exploration not only documents a fading tradition but also serves as a vital text for scholars of anthropology, indigenous studies, and cultural history, presenting a rich tapestry of Andean identity that transcends time.
Related Subjects
About the Director
From Acora in the Puno region, Tito worked inseparably with Óscar since their early short films. He produced and served as cinematographer on Óscar’s debut Eternity (2017), the first Peruvian feature in Aymara. They also collaborated on El sendero del chulo (2008).
After Óscar’s death during the 2021 shoot of Yana-Wara (2023), Tito stepped in as director and cinematographer to complete it, honoring his nephew’s vision while bringing his own rational approach to the story of gender violence and Andean spirituality. The film became Peru’s entry for the Oscars and Goyas.
Tito also directed Pakucha (2021), produced and directed Los indomables (2024), and earned two awards with two nominations. In interviews, he champions Aymara language in cinema and critiques persistent issues like forced marriages and corporal punishment in Indigenous communities
Press
“Pakucha offers scene after scene of oodles of alpacas flocking hypnotically from one area to another, allowing plenty of time to take in the soothing visual pleasure of these fluffy beings.” – Mark Hanson, POV Magazine
“Pakucha is a documentary about the renewal of life. Cyclical is a key word in the Andean world. What we see is what families of alpaquero breeders have done over and over again: the act of celebrating how nature renews itself.” – Carlos Esquives, Cinencuentro