The Mexican film White Night / Pobo ‘Tzu’ by Tania Ximena and Yollotl Gómez Alvarado was the Grand Jury Prize Winner in the Kaleidoscope competition at the 13th edition of the DOC NYC film festival. In a statement, the jury mentioned that the Mexican film was awarded for “its patient, yet urgent emphasis on exhuming buried histories. Poetic pacing, resplendent sound, and expressive cinematography underscore the filmmakers’ thoughtful approach to wrestling with the nuances of community healing in the wake of natural disaster. We found ourselves struck by the intimacy of the relationship between the filmmakers and their collaborators.”
Produced by Julia Cherrier, Mónica Moreno, and Julio Chavezmontes, White Night tells the story of the inhabitants of the zoque community of Nuevo Guayabal, who rebuild their lives after the Chichonal volcano erupted in the early eighties. Trinidad, a poet born on the day of the eruption, has dreamlike visions that quickly spread throughout his community, causing a collective effort to unearth the ancient town while the presence of the Piowachue (the spirit of the volcano according to the Zoque worldview) is strengthened amongst the community.
The 13th edition of DOC NYC runs November 9—27.
