GUATEMALA
	THE FOUNTAIN Director: Darren Aronofsky Writer: Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel Cinematography: Matthew Libatique Music: Clint Mansell 2006. 96 minutes. Rated PG-13. 1.85:1 Setting: U.S., Spain, Guatemala; 1500s, 2000s, the future Languages: English, Quiché Availability: DVD	This film is based on the Mayan myth of the First Father who sacrificed himself to found the tradition of planting a tree over the deceased to foster their rebirth. The film has three stories: 1.) the "real" story of a scientist trying to cure cancer while his wife is dying of cancer; 2.) the novel his dying wife writes about a Spanish conquistador who is sent to Guatemala to find the Biblical tree of life, hidden by God inside the triangle of three pyramids; and 3.) the final chapter of said novel, which the doctor attempts to write after his wife dies, in which he tries to figure out how it ends: as a conquistador, a doctor conquering death? By joining his wife in death? Or by planting a tree? The scenes of Mayans are very brief, and not flattering, and the film would not merit a place here if not for its high artistry. It is an extraordinarily rich and imaginative adventure of the mind, a new 2001: A Space Odyssey for our new millennium.
	LA HIJA DEL PUMA (The Puma's Daughter) Directors: Asa Faringer, Ulf Hultberg Writers: Asa Faringer, Ulf Hultberg, Bob Foss, Monica Zak Cinematography: Dirk Bruel Music: Jacob Groth 1994. 85 or 101 minutes (?) Setting: Guatemala; Chiapas Languages: Spanish Availability: none	Based on the 1986 novel by Swedish writer Monica Zak, this political thriller recounts the story of a young Guatemalan Indian girl, Aschlop (played by Ángeles Cruz), who witnesses a massacre in her village of Kolchaj Nak Lu’um and is separated from her brother Mateo, played by Gerardo Taracena (El violin, Apocalypto, De ida y vuelta). After her family flees to Chiapas, Mexico, Aschlop clandestinely crosses the border back to Guatemala to find Mateo. Pictured at left is the novel, published by F&G Editores (original title: Pumans Dotter).
	MEN WITH GUNS (Hombres Armados) Director/writer/film editor: John Sayles Cinematography: Slawomir Idziak Music: Mason Daring 1997. 128 minutes. Rated R. Setting: unnamed Latin American country similar to Guatemala Language: Spanish, Tzotzil, Náhuatl, occasional English Availability: out-of-print DVD	A doctor (played by Federico Luppi) who had trained students to treat Indians living in remote areas finds that many of his students have disappeared. He goes in search of the medical camps, but the Indians won't talk. All he can learn about the fate of his scattered humanitarian projects is that men came. Men with guns. Gradually the doctor begins to understand the magnitude of the oppression wrought upon the Indians by opposing forces--the military and the guerrilla insurgency. Like John Sayles' previous film Lone Star, Men with Guns is a dangerous Oedipal quest in which the searcher risks learning about his own culpability. Damian Delgado, who also starred in La otra conquista, plays a military deserter who holds the doctor hostage. A great soundtrack featuring popular artists from all over Latin America alleviates some of the tension of this unforgettable film. Website: sonypictures.com/classics/menwithguns/index.html
	EL NORTE Director: Gregory Nava Writer: Gregory Nava, Anna Thomas Cinematography: James Glennon Music: The Folkloristas, Malecio Martinez, Linda O'Brien, Emil Richards 1983. 141 minutes. Rated R. Setting: Guatemala, Mexico, Los Angeles Languages: Quiché, Spanish, English Availability: DVD	A Quiché field worker is brutally killed while trying to orgazine a union in Guatemala. His son and daughter (played by David Villalpando and Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez), in their teens or early 20s, flee to Mexico, then to Los Angeles, where they attempt to start life anew by learning English and finding work. Along the way they meet friends, helpers, betrayers and exploiters as they face the wonders and difficulties of a strange new land. Now available from Criterion Collection with a second disc of bonus features.
LAS HONDURAS
	MOSQUITO COAST Director: Peter Weir Writer: Paul Schrader, Paul Theroux Cinematography: John Seale Music: Maurice Jarre 1986. 119 minutes. Rated PG. 1.85:1 Setting: Massachusetts; Honduran jungles Language: English Availability: DVD	A cranky inventor, Allie Fox, is disgusted with American greed and materialism. He abandons civilization and moves his family to the Honduran jungle. But Allie's idealism gradually becomes an obsession that turns his family into captives in his mad quest. Indians only play a small role in the film: the Miskito Indians help the Foxes build a new village, Jeronimo, and they live there with them. Later in the film, Fox ventures deeper into the jungle to introduce ice to some completely unassimilated Indians, who are described (in the book) as being either the Paya or Twahka (Tawahka) Indians. Fox's growing obsession is comparable to that of Aguirre, and of course the ice theme echoes Fitzcarraldo. Allie is played by Harrison Ford in one of his first "serious" roles, and River Phoenix plays his son. Based on Paul Theroux's 1982 novel.
NICARAGUA
	ALSINO Y EL CONDOR (Alsino and the Condor) Director: Miguel Littin Writers: Isidora Aguirre, Miguel Littin, Tomás Pérez Turrent Cinematography: Jorge Herrera, Pablo Martínez Music: Leo Brouwer 1982. 89 minutes. Setting: Nicaragua, 1979 Language: Spanish Availability: VHS	"Coming of Age" may be an overused genre label, but it seems made for a movie like this one. Alsino (Alan Esquivel) is a boy of 12 or so living in a small village in Nicaragua during the Sandinista revolution of 1979. Alsino daydreams about being able to fly to escape the troubles of his war-torn land. One day he jumps from a tree and becomes crippled. Disgusted with the naive escapism that has ruined him, he can only become a man by joining the conflict he once sought to rise above. A parable of collectivism, this film was financed by Cuba. Distinguished director Miguel Littin fled his native Chile after Pinochet's military coup. Littin went on to make the bio-pic Sandino in 1990.
	LA INSURRECCION (The Uprising) Director: Peter Lilienthal Writers: Peter Lilienthal, Antonio Skármeta Cinematography: Michael Ballhaus Music: Claus Bantzer 1980. 96 minutes. Setting: Nicaragua, 1979 Language: Spanish Availability: VHS	As in the above movie, this story is set during the Sandinista Revolution, which overthrew the dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza Debayle, who ruled Nicaragua in the sixties and seventies. A young man joins the National Guard in order to earn money and receive training, but in doing so he has alienated his father, who supports the Sandinistas. Gradually the son's views change and he realizes he must side with his family and his people. But the government has invested much time and money in training the young man, and they are willing to tear apart the family and even the whole town to get him back. La Insurreccion was made by the Versatile German-born director Peter Lilienthal, whose family emigrated to Uruguay in 1939. The family conflict that arises from the son's military service is reminiscent of the later Colombian film, Primera noche (not reviewed on this site).
	LA SIRENA Y EL BUZO (The Mermaid and the Diver) Director: Mercedes Moncada Rodríguez Cinematography: Alex Catalan 2009. 86 minutes. Setting: Nicaragua Language: Spanish Availability: not on DVD	The body of Sinbad the Diver is discovered floating off the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua. The mermaid turns his soul into a turtle, and the turtle returns him to the world of men. Sinbad is later reborn as a member of the Miskito tribe living on the banks of the Coco River. When he grows up, nature carries him back to the sea, where the mermaid is waiting for him. Youtube trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=erZIW_Ot_30 Sinopsis en español: El cadáver de Simbad el Buzo apareció flotando en el Atlántico de Nicaragua. La sirena convirtió su alma en tortuga, y la tortuga fue quién lo devolvió al mundo de los humanos. Simbad nuevamente nació miskito y creció a la orilla del grandioso río Coco. Cuando se hizo grande la naturaleza se encargó de llevarlo de regreso al mar, donde lo está esperando la sirena. Esta película cuenta el cuento de la fantástica vida de Simbad, el buzo que se enamoró de una sirena, quien muere, nace y crece en la tierra de los miskitos de Nicaragua. La Sirena y el Buzo es un viaje a Centro América, a Nicaragua, a la Costa Atlántica, al pueblo miskito.
PANAMÁ
	BURWA DII EBO (The Wind and the Water) Directors/writers: Vero Bollow and The Igar Yala Collective Cinematography: Petra Korner, David Walter Lech Music: Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli 2008. 100 minutes. Setting: Panama City; Kuna Yala Language: Kuna, Spanish Availability: not yet on DVD	Machi and Rosy are two native Kuna Yala babies born at the same time but under very different circumstances. Machi grows up in Kuna Yala territory speaking the native tongue and learning the traditional ways of his fishing village. Rosy grows up in Panama City speaking Spanish, wearing matching pink outfits, and sporting dreams of becoming a fashion model. By the time Machi and Rosy are 15, a big development company has the Kuna Yala territories in its crosshairs. The manipulative company puts forces in motion to displace the Indigenous population and build resort hotels on their pristine shores. What the company doesn’t know is that the wind blowing through two very special coconut trees creates a powerful force in Machi and Rosy that may prove difficult for the company to defeat. Official site: www.igaryala.org
	MARE ALBUM (White Sea) Director / writer / cinematographer: Ornel Alvarado 2006. 18 minutes. Setting: Panama Language: Spanish, Kuna Availability: not yet on DVD	An Indian boy dreams of traveling to the big city to see the skyscrapers. One day he and a friend find a package of cocaine and they try to sell it so they can achieve their dream. Starring Rubén Avila, Arnold de León, Fabián Morris, and Keyla Lutter.