mexico

Following the rhythm of the corn mill, the work in the fields, and above all the passage of time, Here we remain explores the fabric of life in San Isidro Aloapam, Mexico, through the lives of five locals coping for years with the absence of loved ones. In this small community situated in Oaxaca State, Mexico, the land, though fertile, is less and less cultivated. Faced with stiff American competition that forces down the price of corn in Mexico, the peasants are paradoxically obliged to go North to work the land of large farmers in the United States. As a result, most families from San Isidro Aloapam resort to migration in order to meet their needs. Rosenda, Modesta, Octavio, Elisabet and Merenciana allow us into the intimate corners of their lives. While some consider migration to be an alternative to poverty, others perceive it as a threat to the survival of the community and question the need to leave. Here we remain is the testimony of those who stay to those who have left, a film about longing for loved ones and hope for a better life. A film by Iphigénie Marcoux-Fortier and Karine Van Ameringen in collaboration with Aude Maltais-Landry. Produced by Marlene Edoyan for Productions Multi-Monde in collaboration with Les glaneuses.

On January 1, 1994, the Zapatista National Liberation Army, made up of impoverished Mayan Indians from the state of Chiapas, took over five towns and 500 ranches in southern Mexico. The Government deployed its troops, and at least 145 people died in the ensuing battle. Fighting for indigenous Mexicans to regain control over their lives and the land, the Zapatista Army, led by the charismatic, guerilla poet Subcommandante Marcos, started sending their message to the world via the Internet. The result was what The New York Times called "the world's first post-modern revolution." Filmmaker Nettie Wild travelled to the jungle canyons of southern Mexico to film the elusive and fragile life of the uprising. Her camera effectively and movingly captures the human dimensions behind this war of symbols.

Don Carlos is one of Mexico's most famous, and successful, street musicians. Nearly 80 years old, he's been serenading pedestrians and commuters for more than 45 years with haunting melodies he creates with an ivy leaf. He discovered his calling after losing his arm in an accident at age 13, and has become one of the best foliar artists in the world. He's managed to build his own house and raise four daughters, but he has no pension, so he has too keep working to support himself and his wife. At the twilight of his life, he still hopes to fulfill his last dream - to record an album. The film will be touring the festival circuit in 2009 and is also available in French and Spanish.