So what is this film about – well, it’s a look at the nearest contemporary equivalent to an Ancient Maya city. A city driven by commerce, politics and religious ritual just as all cities have been throughout history. Yet it’s hard to think of another ancient civilisation which has so much resonance with a contemporary society, where people feel such a direct connection with their ancestors.
While there is nothing ‘Apocalyptic!’ about this film it does record some extraordinary and dramatic events which befell the Atitecos of Santiago Atitlan in the last few years.
Many people know of the great ancient Maya cities such as Tikal or Palenque but what is a Maya city like today? Over the last seven years we have been filming with the people of Santiago Atitlan in the highlands of Guatemala. Focusing on the traditions of these Tzutujil speaking Maya, the feature length documentary film ‘Balancing the Cosmos’ will be finished later this year.
This page and the associated web-site will attempt to give some advanced information about the film and preview some material. We’ll also try to give all sorts of background information related to both the film and the subject. And try to answer some of the questions you may have.
Questions we’ll try to deal with in the blogs as time goes on –
Why the title ‘Balancing the Cosmos’?
Why do I think of Santiago Atitlan as a modern Maya city?
What sort of changes have we witnessed during the lengthy shooting of the film?
How did the project come about?
How have Maya people been depicted in films; fictional and documentary?
We hope to start showing the film first in festivals 2007/2008 and to then screen the film in independent cinemas, museums and places of learning. There will also be a specially packaged DVD version of the film with many special features and extra material.
Equipo
The Tzutijil people of Santiago Atitlan who have participated in the making of this film in a thousand different ways
Matthew Schramer – Editor and Additional Camera
Allen Christenson – Adviser, Executive Producer, and Stills
Rebeca Chiyal – Tzutujil Translations
Cameron Krummel - Tzutujil Translations
Joel Skidmore – mesoweb.com – Executive Producer
Linda Schele – Inspiration
Andrew Weeks – Film Maker
IN THE AFTERMATH OF TROPICAL STORM STAN:
For more information about Hospitalito Santiago Atitlan go to
puebloapueblo.org
Who I'd like to meet:
Stills on this page courtesy of Allen Christenson, Violeta Luz, and Simon Martin
To see more photos please see the gallery, by clicking on 'PICS' at the top of the page
