Hananpacha
A film by Carlos and José Vallejo
In the native Quechua language of the Andes, Hananpacha means “the world above.” According to Inca cosmology, hanan pacha was a heavenly paradise, a sky realm which only the righteous could enter, crossing a bridge made of hair. Carlos and José Vallejo’s new film Hananpacha is a visual portrait of the region around Puno, Perú, located amidst the awesome landscapes of the altiplano, more than two miles above sea level on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
Known as the “capital of Peruvian folklore,” Puno is home to a unique highland culture consisting of numerous Quechua and Aymara-speaking indigenous communities, which maintain strong cultural identity, and rich traditions of dance, weaving, cuisine and other arts. The altiplano (high plains) region around Puno also boasts spectacular landscapes, pre-Inca and Inca ruins, and wildlife such as the majestic condor, not to mention the lake’s aquatic riches. Hananpacha weaves these elements together into an unforgettable visual tapestry offering an image of Titicaca and its environs as a true paradise on earth. We see wide-angle shots of altiplano panoramas, majestic snow-covered mountains, scenes of traditional agriculture, weaving and other arts, village festivals in the traditional communities along the shore of the lake and on its islands, poetic footage of altiplano wildlife, and much more.
Hananpacha was produced by the brothers Carlos and José Vallejo, whose independent, Puno-based company, Pioneros Cine, produced the full-length feature film The Mystery of the Kharisiri, a horror film based on Andean legend. Hananpacha is represented in North America by the Andean Film Project, which can be contacted at andeanfilmproject@live.com.
View the trailer.
Read a review of Hananpacha from a screening at National Geographic Live on the All Roads Film Project blog.
