Private Project

Qotzuñi: People of the Lake

'Qotzuñi: People of the Lake' is an independent documentary short about the Uru-Murato indigenous communities of Lake Poopó, Bolivia. In 2016, Lake Poopó, the second largest lake in Bolivia at 3,000 square kilometers, dried up entirely due to diversion of its headwaters and climate change-related drought. Through interviews with community members, the film explores the drought’s impact on Uru livelihoods and culture, and their methods of community adaptation.

  • Michael Salama
    Director
  • Gastón Zilberman
    Director
  • Michael Salama
    Producer
  • Gastón Zilberman
    Producer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Qotzuñi: Hombres del Lago
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Environmental, Indigenous, Social Action, Water, Bolivia
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 47 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 18, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    2,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Argentina
  • Country of Filming:
    Bolivia, Plurinational State of
  • Language:
    Quechua, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    117:50
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Princeton University
  • DOC NYC
    New York
    United States
    November 14, 2024
    North American Premiere
    Grand Jury Prize
  • NaturVision Filmfestival
    Ludwigsburg
    Germany
    European Premiere
    Winner - Best Short Film
  • Patagonia Environmental Film Festival
    Puerto Madryn
    Argentina
    Special Mention
Director Biography - Michael Salama, Gastón Zilberman

Michael Salama is a 23-year-old student and audiovisual producer from New York, USA, currently studying at Princeton University.

Gastón Zilberman is a 23-year-old socioenvironmental photographer and documentarian from Buenos Aires, Argentina, currently studying at Torcuato Di Tella University.

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