Pachamama (El Regalo De La Pachamama) | coming-of-age drama
Directed by Toshifumi Matsushita
2008 | 1h 44m | Bolivia, Japan, USA
(Quechua with English subtitles)

On Bolivia's inland salt sea (the Salar de Uyuni), 13-year-old Kunturi and his family cut bricks of salt by hand, which they use to barter for goods. The Quecha people have lived and worked close to the land for centuries (the term Pachamama means Mother Earth). It's not an easy life, but still rich with friends and family. When Kunturi's grandmother falls ill, his father decides to take his son on the almost four-month journey along the salt trail (the Ruta de la Sal). Their first stop is the Potosi mine to find a friend's long-absent father. As tragedy and joy commingle, Kunturi is forced to confront the complexities of adult life, including death, suffering and, most sweetly and powerfully of all, first love.

Screening Times:
Sinclair Aud - Wednesday, 9:00 pm
Whitaker Lab Aud - Friday, 5:00 pm

About the Director: Toshifumi Matsushita was born in 1950 in Kakogawa, Japan. After graduating from Doshisha University (Bachelor degree of Law), he worked at Shouchiku Kyoto Film Studio as assistant producer. In 1979, he came to the United States to study filmmaking at New York University. In 1981, he started his career as a producer at Entel Communication, Inc., a Japanese television company based in NYC. In 1987, he founded Dolphin Productions to make documentaries and TV programs.