Lupita Review

My absolute standout on my first day’s viewing was Lupita, a twenty minute short by Moncia Wise as part of the ‘Into the World’ strand.

Wise takes the horrific 1997 Acteal massacre in Chiapas, southern Mexico as a starting point.  Forty-five indigenous people were murdered while at prayer in church at the hands of a right-wing paramilitary group.  Lupita was a 10 year old survivor of the massacre, but she lost nine members of her family, including her father, mother and baby sister. With calm dignity and force, Lupita now acts as a spokesperson against corruption, campaigning for peaceful resistance as part of a Mexican indigenous movement led by women, The Abejas of Acteal. To have survived the massacre, she explains, it must have been to follow this path.

This driven acceptance of her role, in which she balances motherhood and activism, makes Lupita an inspirational speaker.  The film beautifully captures her undeniable, admirable strength of spirit.  Wise gives her subject space and time to share her personal story as part of a wider political picture, but also manages to present this account in an almost matter of fact, non-sensationalised way.  Even though the viewer must know that the odds are stacked against the movement, the film offers Lupita’s journey as a sign of hope in her peaceful dedication to an ongoing fight against injustice.  

This film made me feel humble in comparison to its subject and without relying on a preaching tone.  I learned a little about the Mexican indigenous struggle, something I knew next to nothing about beforehand, and the film serves another purpose in leaving a viewer likely to want to learn more.  I thoroughly recommend this short film and seeking out other work by this campaigning filmmaker.

Written by Denise Hobart