Extra Credito! ;-p

      La eterna noche de las doce lunas or Eternal Night of the Twelve Moons directed by Colombian director and producer Priscila Padilla, reflects a grand development in Colombian cinematography and film. Colombia can be considered as an underdeveloped country within the film industry, and its major productions are soap operas. From the few films that have been successful on a local and international level, the core of its triumph relies on its storytelling which revolves around drug cartels or the infamous Pablo Escobar. In this documentary, even a person like me who was raised in Colombia, found something new and authentic. An unspoken indigenous society of Colombia is presented, but its major theme is the essence of the Wayuu women. As a conventional culture, the Wayuu’s definition of a woman orbits around the subjects of virginity, housework and motherhood. These beliefs maintain rituals that for many, would now be considered absurd and misogynistic. However, despite her ideals, the director truly projects her utter respect towards the Wayuu’s culture. As a viewer, one is not just exposed to these eccentric customs but a deep understanding is also transmitted. 

       The cinematography is simply organic and smooth. I found it quite different from other Colombian films I have watched in the past, which tend to be grainy and “dirty,” with more of a “green balance” instead of white. The setting is outdoors and it seems like there was major use of the sunlight to capture all the vibrant and idle colors of nature throughout the day. Many of the shots are more focused on the environment and display the people as being part of it. There are lots of cut-in shots, such of the characters’ hands and feet which contributes to making the characters and their environment more personable to the viewer. Nevertheless, what really did it for me was the rawness of the sound. It is solid! This film captures the Wayuu’s environment mainly through sound from its beginning to end. The sounds of the grass in the wind, the fly nearby, bare feet splashing through mud; it was just sensational to me.