Distancia

This was an extraordinary film about modern Mayan culture in Guatemala. The movie follows the story of Tomás Choc, a Guatemalan farmer who's daughter was kidnapped in the Guatemalan Civil War. The movie is in Spanish and Kʼicheʼ, and shows the disparity between the two languages. Throughout the movie Tomás deals with his identity while searching for his daughter, and meets many different types of people with differing opinions during his trip. Once he gets to his destination, there is a beautiful scene showing the tension between the indigenous people who were killed and the Guatemalan soldiers, despite the war being over for twenty years. Tomás eventually does get his meeting with his daughter, only to find out they both speak a different language. Through a translator, however, they are able to discuss the past and future, and show that they are family. This film was beautiful, with the locations, music, and plot all blending well into a social-commentary about the current state of Guatemala and the lasting effects of the civil war.