Earlier this year, while travelling through Bolivia, I had the opportunity to watch Utama at the Cinemateca in La Paz as part of a Bolivian cinema cycle. The screening was completely sold out, with every seat occupied and people arriving early to secure a place. It was a reminder of something that is easy to forget when watching films from afar: some works become much more meaningful when experienced in the country where they were made. Seeing Utama surrounded by a local audience added another layer to a film that already feels deeply rooted in the land, culture, and realities of Bolivia.
| Utama | Movie Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Bolivia |
| Year | 2022 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Runtime | 87 min |
| Director | Alejandro Loayza Grisi |
| Main Actors | José Calcina, Luisa Quispe, Santos Choque |
Directed by Alejandro Loayza Grisi, Utama follows an elderly Quechua couple living in the arid highlands of the Bolivian Altiplano. For years, they have maintained the same way of life, raising llamas and surviving in a harsh environment shaped by drought and isolation. When their grandson arrives from the city, old certainties begin to face new questions, forcing the family to confront decisions about the future.
What immediately stands out about Utama is its extraordinary sense of place. The Altiplano is not simply a backdrop but a living presence throughout the film. Vast landscapes stretch endlessly across the screen, beautiful yet unforgiving, reflecting both the resilience and vulnerability of the people who inhabit them. Few films manage to create such a strong connection between characters and environment.
The film unfolds at a deliberate pace, embracing silence and observation rather than dramatic plot developments. Alejandro Loayza Grisi trusts the audience to pay attention to gestures, routines, and small moments of interaction. The result is a work that feels intimate and contemplative, allowing emotions to emerge naturally rather than through overt exposition.
José Calcina and Luisa Quispe deliver remarkable performances, bringing authenticity and dignity to their roles. Their relationship feels entirely lived-in, shaped by decades of shared experiences. Through their daily routines, the film explores themes of ageing, companionship, and endurance with great sensitivity. There is a tenderness here that never becomes sentimental, making the emotional impact all the more powerful.
At the same time, Utama speaks to broader issues affecting many rural communities around the world. Climate change, migration, and the gradual disappearance of traditional ways of life are woven into the story without turning it into a social manifesto. The film remains grounded in the experiences of its characters, allowing larger themes to emerge organically from their circumstances.
Visually, the film is stunning. The cinematography captures the beauty of the Bolivian highlands with a sense of scale that is both majestic and humbling. Yet the images never feel like postcards. The landscape is presented as a place of life, labour, and survival, carrying both wonder and hardship within the same frame.
One of the aspects I appreciated most is how Utama gives visibility to a reality rarely represented in international cinema. Stories from Indigenous communities in the Andes remain underrepresented on global screens, and the film approaches its characters with respect and nuance. Rather than exoticising their world, it invites viewers to share it.
Watching Utama in La Paz, surrounded by an audience that clearly felt a connection to what was unfolding on screen, reinforced the film’s emotional resonance. The silence in the theatre during key moments and the warm response at the end suggested that this was more than simply an acclaimed festival film; it was a story that many people recognised as part of their own cultural landscape.
Utama became one of the most celebrated Bolivian films of recent years, winning the World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and later being selected as Bolivia’s official submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Its international success brought unprecedented visibility to contemporary Bolivian cinema while remaining deeply rooted in the landscapes, languages, and traditions of the Andean highlands.
Utama is a beautiful and deeply humane film about love, resilience, and the difficult balance between staying and leaving. Through its quiet storytelling and breathtaking imagery, it transforms a specific Bolivian reality into something universal. It is one of those rare films that speaks softly yet lingers long after the final image has disappeared.
