Utama

Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at Sundance 2022, Utama is an astonishing love story about an elderly Indigenous Quechea couple in the Bolivian highlands fighting to preserve their way of life. Llama farmers Virginio (José Calcina) and Sisa (Luisa Quispe) have followed the same routine for years. But an extended period of drought poses an existential threat. The arrival of their grandson, Clever (Santos Choque), brings tension and throws their dilemma into sharp relief. Do Virginio and Sisa stay on and fight for survival and the preservation of their culture, or join the rest of their family in the city thereby giving up on their way of life forever? The immense power of Utama lies not only in its visual beauty, but in the tremendous performances by non-professional actors, and couple in real life, Calcina and Quispe. Director Loayza Grisi, while scouting for the film, came upon the two and approached them to appear in the film and was instantly rejected. But he persevered, and to great effect: their intimacy and evidence of a life-long shared is palpable. A beautifully shot film, to be savoured on the big screen, Utama is an exquisite love story in a time of tumult.
 
ALEJANDRO LOAYZA GRISI is a Bolivian filmmaker, who began his artistic career in photography before moving into cinematography working in both documentary and short film. Utama is his first feature film and won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at Sundance 2022.

 Shortlisted for the Sustainable Future Award.