Chac: The Rain God (1975) [N/A]
Featuring:
Pablo Canche Balam, Alonzo Mendez Ton, Sebastian Santis
Written by:
Rolando Klein
Directed by:
Rolando Klein
Release Date:
January 1, 1975
Original Title:
Chac: Dios de la lluvia
Genres:
Adventure | Drama
Production Companies:
Cientifilm Aurora, S.A.
Production Countries:
Mexico
Ratings / Certifications:
N/A
Runtime: 95
Unique story of a village's attempts to solve drought by appealing to the powers of a mysterious mountain-dwelling diviner.
A very unique and incredible film, Rolando Klein made it in 1974 after spending two years living among the Tzeltal Indians of Chiapas, collecting stories, events, and anecdotes from their culture. A graduate of UCLA film school and of Chilean birth, Klein "returned to his Hispanic roots" at the urging of director and mentor Jules Dassin in 1972. A village is experiencing a drought detrimental to their crops and, resultantly, their survival. After only failure comes from consultation with their usual shaman, they attempt to gain aid from a mysterious diviner living in the mountains, who is said to practice the ancient ways forgotten by all else in the village. After securing his help, the diviner leads twelve tribesmen on a long journey as part of the rain-bringing ceremony. Eventually they return to the village to enact the ceremony proper, and incredible events ensue. In the meantime, there is always skepticism of the diviner's abilities; indeed, he might be merely bewitching the village for his own purposes. Or is he...?
