Queerguru’s Jose Mayorgas reviews SOUL OF THE DESERT  / Alma del desierto : the struggle for recognition within an indigenous community

Set in Uribia, the indigenous capital of Colombia, and filmed on location at  La Guajira, Northern región of the country, the film introduces us to the Wayúu community with its own wayuunaiki language, and to a minimalistic landscape where the colors of sand and flames mix with the pink of flock of flamingos, midgnight blue skies,  the sound of the wind,  sandstorms, the sea, and an unbelievable sense of loneliness and desolation.

We follow the steps of silent and elderly Georgina, who, over 45 years has requested her identification document countless times. As a child her name was Jorge as they had been born a boy.  Georgina has two boy siblings who she rarely sees as they do not approve of her orientation. Georgina wants to be issued the ID as a woman,  but she is having great difficulty as her fingerprints are of a man.  We witness her start the procedure yet one more time, and a civil servant at the Registraduría Municipal will send to Bogotá her full identification, fingerprints, photo and information, and she is hoping that finally she will get the document.

She is a survivor in her own world in her quest for identity in this slowly paced tale, and the beautiful cinematography and the camera recording every detail are  the best companion Georgina could have along her way. 

This documentary film  also refers to ecological damage and adversity, the poisoning of the river´s water due to chemicals, mine´s waste, and excrements; which makes one thing about the social breakdown and indifference towards the protagonist, supported only by few.

Written and directed by Mónica Taboada-Tapia  and starring Georgina Epiayu herself, film was included in the official selection of the Giornate degli autori at Venice Film Festival 2024.

 

 

José Mayorgas, Contributing Editor is from Guatemala, Central America  where he is a lawyer and notary public, visual artist, and editor of El Azar Culturallives and works in Guatemala City. Cinema lover, curious about the possibilities life brings and eager to live the experience.

 


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