The eternity in Wiñaypacha as an image of andean thought

Abstract

Wiñaypacha (which means Eternity) — the first Peruvian feature film spoken entirely in Aymara — recently premiered, achiev-ing tremendous success not only in Peru but also internationally. Directed by Óscar Catacora, a young Peruvian filmmaker of Aymara origin, the film is a masterpiece due to both its aesthetic and narrative qualities. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the film’s script and photography, also signed by the director, work as poetic and potent resources that are revealing of Andean thought regarding, in particular, the idea of Eternity. Finally, it lays emphasis on how, with the success of Wiñaypacha, Andean peoples are now protagonists in places where, thus far, they were mainly bound to subordinate roles.