Feliciano’s family lives in a quiet town in Peru, carrying out their traditions with other families to preserve their culture, breeding alpacas, and partaking in other activities such as selling wool. The serenity and contemplation so typical of the Andes and the indigenous peoples is very well portrayed in this film, which respects the time that everyday activities take as well as the calm and reflective language itself. Feliciano grows up amidst enchanting landscapes and the tenderness of the alpacas. Together with his friends Rambo and Ronaldo, they roam the paramo, which is threatened by the bad mining practices that have polluted the territory, aiming to strip the community of their territory despite the community’s struggles to defend it. Meanwhile, Feliciano—who is still just a boy—maintains hope, which stems from the possibility that the Peruvian national soccer team could qualify for the World Cup. There is a universal relationship between ethnic groups and their environment, which can be seen in the community’s relationship with the alpacas and their importance for survival. Killing the alpacas is considered to be the greatest threat to the culture and community life. As long as their worldview, spirituality, and respect for protective spiritual beings are practiced, hope remains.

Leiqui Uriana