Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians cited as successful case for independent screenings in 2014 in México
- The documentary directed by Hernán Vílchez ranks second in the Top 10 listing of Taquillómetro, the leading platform documenting independent film attendance.
- During 2015 more screenings will be held in Mexico and a European tour is planned.
As part of the 13th edition of the International Film Festival in Guadalajara (FICG) the Mexican Institute of Cinematography (IMCINE) presented the Statistical Yearbook of Mexican Cinema 2014, in which a thorough investigation of the Mexican film industry is presented, with the purpose that “the sectors that make up the industry have information that enables us to design strategies for the present and future scenarios.”
In the chapter on Distribution and Screening, in the section “Alternative Screening,” a case study is presented, which refers to screening strategies designed by Paola Stefani and Hernan Vilchez for Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians. The chapter begins with the following: “One of the alternative screening strategies used by budget filmmakers in Mexico is to bring projects to film clubs, festivals and public plazas, while allowing access to them online through digital platforms. Here is a case study that has successfully reached different target audiences, according to their possibilities of distribution.” Particular attention is given to the use of social networks and online exhibition that producers have engaged since May 2014, when the film was released in Real de Catorce, San Luis Potosi. “As part of the promotion, the production crew has sought to position the film on social networks and video playback platforms, where they offer teasers aimed at different niches of the public for multilingual audiences with subtitled videos. On the other hand, they have opted for online exhibition, available on the Vimeo On Demand platform, which has achieved 1,109 copies in 48 countries.”
In Taquillómetro’s case study, attendance was measured in four screening halls in three complexes: The 68, Cine Tonalá, Alcalá Theatre, and Museum of Contemporary Art of Oaxaca; Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians, placed second in attendance during 2014.
During the month of March, the documentary will be presented at the VII Exhibition of Socio-Environmental Film at the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) in Guadalajara, at the Alamos Mágico International Film Festival in Sonora and in independent screening halls in the city of Xalapa, and it will form part of the Third International Exhibition “Cinema at the Summit” of Cumbre Tajin 2015, in which two functions are given, with the presence of film protagonists and producer Paola Stefani.
During the months of April and May, Hernan Vilchez, with Jose Luis “Katira” Ramirez and his son Enrique will travel to various countries in Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, UK, Spain, France,etc.) to publicize the documentary and the Wixárika message to protect life on the planet and the sacred place of Wirikuta.
Readers can consult the documentary’s Facebook and Twitter pages to follow the screening schedule and activities being organized.
https://www.facebook.com/HuicholesTheLastPeyoteGuardians
https://twitter.com/PeyoteGuardians
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