In the Peruvian highlands, Honorata Vilca, an illiterate woman of Quechua descent, lives with her dog; she is dedicated to the sale of sweets. As the rainy season begins, she recounts passages of her life, until one evening something fatal happens that seems to make the heavens cry.

Interview with Director/Producer/Editor Alberto Flores Vilca

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I always wanted to tell a story about illiterate women who have no future in a macho and classist society, which is how my country is. Through this short film, I narrate the daily life of my mother, an illiterate woman dedicated to selling candy.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

It is an intimate film narrated in Quechua (mother tongue). A portrait of my mother, the woman I admire. It is not the typical film about poverty in Latin America filmed by a privileged white filmmaker, but a film about an indigenous woman filmed by another indigenous man, filmed with a lot of honesty without looking for morbidity or victimization. It is a brave film.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Mamapara is very personal, yet it manages to connect with the audience because it talks about mother-child, human-animal or human-nature relationships and that is universal. “Write about your hut and you will be universal”, said one writer.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The whole film was built in editing, this process took about a year and a half, the development of the film consisted of recording and editing during all that time, finding a narrative line to everyday life.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

After seeing it at the festivals, many viewers have written to my social media, all agreeing that my mother's story is unique, sad and beautiful. They tell me that many of them cried because they found it sincere and authentic.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Yes, it has surprised me. For example, one comment said "Mamapara is a moving portrait that makes a synthesis of Latin America in all its complexity" which surprised me.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I seek that my film can have greater visibility on streaming platforms or film festivals, through them, people can get to know the story of Honorata Vilca, a Quechua-speaking woman, who despite marginalization is still standing firm.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

I would like sales agents, festival directors or journalists to join in so that the film's message can have a greater impact. Because Mamapara is the story of the invisible, the marginalized of Peruvian society.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

In Juliaca (where Mamapara was filmed) a week or so ago 18 people were killed, all of Quechua and Aymara descent. This happened during the protests against the government of Dina Boluarte.

For decades, this area of the country has demanded a fair economic distribution and better education, however, the requests have been ignored. The reason for all this governmental disinterest is the total ignorance of the Quechua-Aymara culture.

Here in Juliaca and the entire south of the country, we have our own culture, language, and customs, something that the capital of the country belittles and ignores, which is why we have been relegated and made invisible for centuries. To understand this social problem in my country, it is important for Mamapara to be seen, because it is the living testimony of these invisibilized.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

In the last 30 years, Peru has enjoyed incredible economic growth, however, there is a high percentage of poverty and illiteracy in the south of the country. The most affected are women. Should the government impose economic and cultural policies, relegating the culture, language, history, and customs of those it intends to govern? 0r should it adapt?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I'm in the writing phase of my opera prima, a feature film about a traumatic experience from my childhood. It's a trip to the '90s, during the dictatorship of Alberto Fujimori and the vampire fake news.

Interview: January 2023

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Mamapara - Mother Rain

In the Peruvian highlands, lives with her dog, Honorata Vilca, an illiterate woman of Quechua descent, dedicated to the sale of sweets. As the rainy season begins, she recounts passages of her life, until one evening something fatal happens that seems to make the heavens cry.

Length: 17:28

Director: Alberto Flores Vilca

Producer: Mario Manríquez

Writer: Alberto Flores Vilca

About the writer, director and producer:

ALBERTO FLORES VILCA studied Social Communication at the National University of the Altiplano, and "Observational Documentary: an author's gaze" at the International School of Film and TV in San Antonio de Los Baños - Cuba, 2022. He directed Mamapara - Mother Rain (2020), which premiered at the prestigious 42nd Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival (France), and also won the National Short Film Award. In 2020, he was one of the directors selected at the Berlinale Talents.

MARIO MANRIQUEZ is a producer, distributor and film curator as well as an image and sound designer (FADU UBA). In 2015, he founded the production and distribution company Cantatafilms. In 2016, he was the executive producer of the documentary short film Memorándum (29th Cinélatino, 50th FICVIÑA, 28th Curta Cinema, +80 festivals). In 2018 he was selected at the Berlinale Talents BA as producer. And in 2020, he executively produced and edited the documentary Mamapara - Mother Rain (42nd Clermont Ferrand, 36th Chicago Latino, 31st Kinoforum, 40th VGIK, 20th Kaohsiung + 80 festivals).

Looking for: buyers, journalists and film festival directors

Facebook: Alberto Flores Vilca

Instagram: @alberto.writer

Hashtags used: #Mamapara #Juliaca #Cinepuneño #Perú

Website: cargocollective.com/mariomanriquez/MAMAPARA

Other: IMDb

Made in association with: Cantatafilms (Mario Manríquez) from Argentine. Raccord Digital (Miguel Pattzi ) from Bolivia. Artesano Films (Alberto Flores Vilca) from Perú.

Funders: Self-funded.

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival | WILMA | Saturday, February 18th | 3:00-4:30pm