Yawar mallku

The film is based on a newspaper clipping about Indian Quechua women who were sterilised without their permission in a maternity department of the American Peace Corps. It focuses on a village leader who finds out why his wife has become infertile. The Indian tribe decides to give the foreigners the same treatment: two gringos are castrated. The dignity of the Indians contrasts sharply with the tearful declarations by American specialists. This distressing, anti-imperialist film was made under the most difficult conditions. Students, technicians, workers and peasants collected the money needed. The film was banned by the censors in its country of origin, but released after protests. The festival is also screening Sanjinés' latest feature Para recibir el canto de los pajaros.