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AYLLU: Memories and Visions

It is the story of the evolution of a traditional administrative system that enables the Ñamarín Community to address its water-related challenges and shape their future.

  • Ariel Chalán
    Director
  • Henry Zaruma
    Director of Photography
  • Native Land Digital Inc.
    Producer
  • Victor Sauca
    Writer
  • Silvia Medina
    Writer
  • Mama Rosa Minga
    Community Members Interviewed
  • Tayta Francisco Lozano
    Community Members Interviewed
  • Tayta Miguel Guaillas
    Community Members Interviewed
  • Víctor Sauca
    Community Members Interviewed
  • Manuel Andrade
    Community Members Interviewed
  • Margarita Chalán
    Community Members Interviewed
  • Polivio Guamán
    Community Members Interviewed
  • Jonathan Terreros
    Poster Design
  • Darío Zhunaula
    Graphics
  • Tayta Churón
    Music
  • Willak Awki Guamán
    Music
  • Cecilia Paqui
    Translation to English
  • Amy Chalán
    Translation to English
  • Ñamarin Community
    Indigenous Territory
  • Ayllu Land
    Production Team
  • Amawta Lozano
    Initial Production Tests
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    AYLLU: Memorias y Visiones
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 14, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    28,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Ecuador
  • Country of Filming:
    Ecuador
  • Language:
    Chimborazo Highland Quichua, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Maoriland Film Festival
    Otaki
    New Zealand
    March 30, 2025
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Festival Internacional de Cine y Comunicación de los Pueblos Indígenas
    Lima
    Peru
    June 23, 2025
    South America Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Festival international Présence autochtone | The Montreal First Peoples’ Festival
    Montreal, Quebec
    Canada
    August 5, 2025
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Indigenous Cultures Short Film Festival (InCuFF) - Yerel Kültür Film Festivali
    Denizli, Merkezefendi
    Turkey
    October 23, 2025
    Asia Premiere
    Finalist
  • RNCI Red Nation International Film Festival & Awards - Native Cinema
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    November 1, 2025
    United States Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Kunturñawi Ecuadorian Film Festival
    Ambato, Tungurahua
    Ecuador
    November 5, 2025
    Ecuador Premiere
    Official Selection
  • KANUA Floating Amazon Film Festival
    Puyo, Napo
    Ecuador
    November 22, 2025
    Official Selection
  • 7 Candle Film Festival
    Virginia Beach, Virginia
    United States
    December 28, 2025
    Virginia Premiere
    Honorable Mention
  • Sorrento Film & Food Festival
    Sorrento
    Italy
    January 1, 2026
    Europe Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Ariel Chalán

Ariel Chalán was born on March 24, 1998, in Loja, Ecuador. He is currently a student of Film and Video, as well as Advertising and Marketing, at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Throughout his career, he has been involved in various projects, including short films, music videos, and advertising campaigns. He has worked as a director of photography on the documentary La Única Cofán and has directed the short films Al Paso Que Vamos, Ideograma, and his debut documentary Dónde Está Mamá.

His work as a director of photography includes the short films Obraje, Ausencia, and his debut film Dibujando. He also served as gaffer on the short film Flores Secas, which was selected for the Quito Latin American Film Festival. Currently, he is producing the short film Sin Ser Amada and developing various audiovisual projects in the areas of documentaries, music videos, and advertising campaigns.

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Director Statement

Directing this documentary was a transformative experience; it has been a journey through the memory, wisdom, and work of our community leaders. Each interview and each creative decision represents an opportunity to better understand the history and life of the place where I grew up.

We are a story that holds its roots in the intangible, where water, more than a resource, is a living inheritance that not only nourishes the body but also the collective soul. It not only brings people together, but it also connects them to their past and gives them strength to face the future.

I am deeply grateful to all those who shared their stories with us and to those who made this documentary possible. With this piece, I aim not only to tell a story but to build a bridge between the wisdom and work of our elders and the new paths ahead.