Through Rocks and Clouds
Ajyal Competition
Franco García Becerra / Feature Narrative / Peru, Chile / 2024 / 83 min
In Quechua, Spanish / English subtitles
MENA Premiere
Rated: Mature subject matter. Not suitable for minors. Individuals under the age of 18 are not admitted into cinemas.
Synopsis
In the isolated Andes, 8-year-old Feliciano lives a simple life, herding alpacas and sharing his excitement about Peru's World Cup qualifiers with his loyal companions—a young alpaca named Ronaldo and his dog, Rambo. Beneath this peaceful routine, however, lies a growing threat to his village: a mining company that has contaminated their land and water, pressuring villagers to sell their property. As Feliciano’s community grapples with the environmental destruction and the potential loss of their homes, the situation takes a personal turn when he discovers that his alpaca, Ronaldo, has gone missing.
While his village fights to resist the corporate takeover, Feliciano embarks on a determined search for his beloved animal. His journey through the Andes highlights the struggles faced by indigenous communities who find themselves caught between preserving their traditional ways of life and the destructive forces of modern industry. Through Feliciano’s eyes, the film presents a deeply human story of innocence, resilience, and the fight for survival, set against the backdrop of the majestic but threatened Andean landscape.
About the Directors
Franco García Becerra is a Peruvian filmmaker whose debut feature, ‘Southern Winds’ (2018), premiered at the Lima Film Festival and was screened at numerous international festivals, including the Chicago Latino Film Festival and Cine de las Américas. His second feature, ‘Through Rocks and Clouds’ (2024), had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin Film Festival. García is known for his visually rich and socially conscious films, which explore the lives and struggles of indigenous and Andean communities.
Credits
- Director
- Franco García Becerra
- Screenwriter
- Annemarie Gunkel, Alicia Quispe
- Executive Producer
- Diego Sarmiento, Jorge Constantino, Annemarie Gunkel, Franco García Becerra
- Co-Producer
- Juan Francisco González
- Cinematographer
- Johan Carrasco
- Editor
- Franco García Becerra, Juan Francisco González
- Production Company
- Desfase Films, Mestizo Studios, Luna Roja Relatos Audiovisuales, Wayquicha Cine
- Sound
- Amador Del Solar
- Music
- Daniel Castro
- Cast
- Albert Merma, Nely Huayta, Richard Taipe, Rubén Huillca, José Merma