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Chac the Rain God (Chac Dios de la lluvia) dvd - 1975 film directed by Rolando Klein. A very unique and incredible film, Rolando Klein made it after
spending two years living among the Tzeltal Indians of Chiapas,
collecting stories, events, and anecdotes from their culture. It is based on ritual and legends from the Popul Vuh, as well as Tzeltal and Mayan stories. 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...?
In Tzeltal, Mayan and Spanish with optional English subtitles. Unrated, 94 minutes.
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