overblik
Time seems to move slowly far out on the cracked, dry land of the Bolivian Altiplano, where an elderly Quechua couple, Virginio and Sisa, carry on a humble routine. When their grandson Clever shows up, Virginio quickly sniffs out that he is there just to convince them to move to the city. The fact that the drought has left them without water doesn’t help their case for staying. All the while, Virginio’s heavy breathing betrays his ability to hide what’s ailing him. Suddenly the slow pace of time becomes precious. Will they follow in the steps of other Quechuas and leave their home for the city?
In his feature debut, Alejandro Loayza Grisi renders a time-honored transition with the magnitude and profundity it deserves. The quest for finite resources like water and time may feel like a familiar tale, but the striking cinematography lensed by the brilliant Barbara Alvarez, along with potent performances, lend the film an extra charge of urgency. Utama is a universal story of epic proportions.