Pachamama is a story set in Bolivia about a thirteen-year old boy who lives with his family according to the traditions of his people in the area of salt Lake Uyuni. During spring he makes a journey with his father to another valley, carrying large blocks of salt on their llamas. It is a long journey that takes months and months, along the “salt route” where traders exchange this valuable mineral for other products from the Andes. Along the road, the boy has several experiences, becoming aware that he is a young Quechua man. During his journey, he meets a girl at a party and shares an innocent and romantic dream with her: to cross the salt lake on a bicycle. Only at the end of his journey will the protagonist understand the “Pachamama gift” which his grand-mother had foretold for him.
Director
Matushita Toshifumi
He was born in Kakogawa, Japan in 1950. After his degree in Law at Doshisha University, he started to work as assistant producer at the Shouchiku Kyoto Film Studio. In 1979 he moved to the States to study cinema at New York University. In 1981 he became producer at the Entel Communication, a Japanese television broadcaster located in New York City. In 1987, he founded Dolphin Productions, specialising in programmes and documentary films for television. His filmography includes: Big Chief (1992), Cuba Amor (1995) and Voodoo Kingdom (1998).