Dance of the Souls

Ramón Llaven / Mexico, Canada / 2026 / International Premiere / 72 min.

synopsis

Día de los Muertos is the focal point of this personal documentary, which takes us into a community in Mexico’s Oaxaca highlands. A voice-over, conceived as the voice of one of the souls returning among the living on the “Day of the Dead”, accompanies a series of scenes evoking the nocturnal atmosphere of one of Mexico’s most important celebrations. Remembrance of the dead, a whirl of macabre masks, night-time revelry, but also a sense of release from everyday life and renewed energy for the life ahead, all come together in a succession of observed scenes and purely atmospheric glimpses.

"Over time, I came to understand what the Muertada means for the communities of Ella Valley, as we believe that the souls of our loved ones return to dance with us.”

biography

Ramón Llaven lives and works in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. He has made several short and medium-length documentaries, focusing primarily on his homeland’s traumatic recent history. He serves as director, producer and editor on these films.