Utama comes into my life at a time when I’m feeling extra sensitive toward the importance of honoring family traditions passed down from older generations. One’s legacy can be appreciated while still earthside, but it’s especially in death when their physical absence is felt, does their impact realize itself. Life, death, and how we spend the time in between is the thesis statement of writer-director Alejandro Loayza Grisi’s subtle yet remarkably powerful debut feature, Utama.
Immediately taken by the colorful garments set against a dry and dusty landscape, we’re transported to the Bolivian Altiplano, home of elderly Quechua couple Virginio and Sisa (José Calcina and Luisa Quispe). Presumably, in their late eighties or so, the couple spends their days following the same simple routine: he manages the llamas and she walks to town to gather water.
However, when their only source of drinking water goes dry, the effects of this ongoing drought begin to have real consequences for the townspeople. It doesn’t help that Virginio is secretly battling a mystery cough, and a lack of appropriate resources like water could cause him grave danger.
Amidst the troubling prospects, Virginio and Sisa are in for a surprise when their grandson, Clever (Santos Choque), shows up at their remote home. His hope is that he can convince his grandparents–specifically his bullheaded grandfather–to move with him to the city where water and resources are boundless.
But Virginio is offended by Clever’s good-natured offer; he won’t accept a handout, even from his own family. Virginio’s stubbornness and loyalty to tradition are at odds with Clever’s more progressive way of life. His unwillingness to adapt ultimately does more harm than good to his family.
Utama, which literally translates to “our home,” is a tightly packaged, slow burn of a film that radiates with a heart both onscreen and off. Alejandro Loayza Grisi’s portrait of a struggling community proves to be as devastating as it is breathtaking.
Loayza Grisi’s respect for the people and the culture is apparent from the very first frame, as we get swept up in the picturesque visuals and unique sounds of Bolivia. The decision to use non-actors, José Calcina and Luisa Quispe, further grounds the film in its reality, almost teetering on the feeling of a documentary.
An elegant depiction of honoring family traditions and their impact on future generations, Utama is a beautifully crafted film that radiates with sincerity.
This review was first published on Jan 25, 2022 as part of our Sundance Film Festival 2022 coverage.
