Ixcanul (2015)

Wonderful character development!

People are voting emotionally.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

This film directed by Jayro Bustamante shows the harsh reality for which indigenous groups of Guatemala live especially women. You can clearly see the discrimination and exploitation that these indigenous people live in their own country. This reality is captured in the story of María, a young indigenous woman from Guatemala who is forced to marry by her parents for their convenience with a man she does not want. and she wants by all means that this does not happen because she is in love with Pepe, a young man who works on the coffee plantation. Due to a pregnancy life changes for Maria with many events and beliefs that she lives due to her mother. The illegal trafficking of children is another issue in this film, it is very unfortunate that this happens a lot in these countries with low economic resources, mainly this happens to poor people and those who cannot condemn these facts. The producer Bustamante also wants to express the feeling and real language of the indigenous people of this region that is why almost all the actors are people who live in the area, who speak the Kaqchikel language. He shows us a current real-life aspect in that region of indigenous women who are discriminated against and who do not have any kind of education and privilege. With this story, the producer denounces these acts of discrimination and illegal trafficking of children but at the same time shows a family that even with its old culture and a closed mentality experiences feelings of joy, sadness, hope and love one another regardless of time where they live.

Ixcanul is an astonishingly visually beautiful movie. The sweeping landscapes and colorful clothing take an urban American audience into another world entirely. Although the characters speak Kaqchikel and their lifestyles appear very different from my own, I found them instantly relatable. Maria, the protagonist, is a perfectly normal teenager. She is helpful to her parents, except when she doesn't want to be. She has a crush on a boy who isn't good for her. She wants to leave home. All of Maria's desires are the same as those of an American teenager; the physical and cultural setting is the only difference. This is part of what makes Ixcanul so important. It does a very good job of both showing difference and making it feel natural. Although we see a world that is different from the one we are used to, it does not feel alien. The relationship between Maria and her mother, Juana, is one of the key elements of this movie that makes it so warm and familiar. While they tend to interact casually, there are several moments in which the depth of their relationship is palpable. The scene in the bath in which Maria's mother discovers her pregnancy, for instance, feels very realistic. Juana scolds her daughter for not "counting her moons", but there is no anger in her voice. Only love and concern. Her father's reaction, with near equal skill, shows the more authoritarian relationship that he has with his daughter. The small family unit is beautifully and convincingly created.This small, close-knit family is contrasted with an immense landscape. The side of the volcano on which they live allows for wide shots of footpaths criss-crossing through a rocky, jungley terrain. Although they are not far from the town of Solola, they appear to be in a separate world with a delicate social ecosystem. This makes the plot feel even more realistic, because we are left little to compare it to until this isolation becomes an obstacle towards the end of the movie. Overall, it is an interesting, emotional movie. I highly recommend it.

Ixtanul is a very unique film in that it causes the viewers to question. This film essentially about a young girl named Maria, who prepares for her arranged wedding (set by her parents) as she overcomes unusual obstacles along the way. Although this film is slow and not very action-packed, it taught me a lot about Mayan culture and tradition in Guatemala. This film was unlike any film I have ever seen because of its mystery and lack of sound. There was almost no music in this film, which I thought was really interesting because it added uniqueness to the film. Also, the camera angles and shots were very different than most other films. Overall, this film taught me more about Guatemalan society than I have ever known.

WOW ! is the best movie and seen of all time , I fell in love this film because the plot is as sweet to my eyes because It is the best movie and seen in my entire life , besides this My film should be nominated for Oscar yet because it is a beautiful movie and no other film like this ! , and also the Users who do not pay the best rate is they do not know appreciate the true art of a very good movie and forever I will up port this movie because my I marvel this beautiful movie !also this movie is the best movie of Latin America and Spain , also contains a unique language in the world that is the Guatemalan Mayan languages ​​and that alone also the best education and the best sound