Masterclass: Pedro Lijerón Vargas, Grupo Ukamau

biography

Grupo Ukamau is a Bolivian film collective founded by Jorge Sanjinés and Óscar Soria in 1966. It espouses the method of “cine junto al pueblo” (filming alongside the people), i.e. films created together with communities, not just about them. It took its name from its debut film Ukamau (1966), which tells the story of revenge for the rape of an indigenous woman by a mestizo merchant. Ukamau means “that's how it is” in Aymara. Despite repeated bans, the collective's work has had a significant political impact. Today, it exists as a foundation with its own production and educational facilities.