Please don't spend money on this.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

This film directed by Jayro Bustamante shows the harsh reality for which indigenous groups of Guatemala live especially women. You can clearly see the discrimination and exploitation that these indigenous people live in their own country. This reality is captured in the story of María, a young indigenous woman from Guatemala who is forced to marry by her parents for their convenience with a man she does not want. and she wants by all means that this does not happen because she is in love with Pepe, a young man who works on the coffee plantation. Due to a pregnancy life changes for Maria with many events and beliefs that she lives due to her mother. The illegal trafficking of children is another issue in this film, it is very unfortunate that this happens a lot in these countries with low economic resources, mainly this happens to poor people and those who cannot condemn these facts. The producer Bustamante also wants to express the feeling and real language of the indigenous people of this region that is why almost all the actors are people who live in the area, who speak the Kaqchikel language. He shows us a current real-life aspect in that region of indigenous women who are discriminated against and who do not have any kind of education and privilege. With this story, the producer denounces these acts of discrimination and illegal trafficking of children but at the same time shows a family that even with its old culture and a closed mentality experiences feelings of joy, sadness, hope and love one another regardless of time where they live.

Ixcanul is a cinematic chef-d'oeuvre that sheds light on the plight of many indigenous Guatemalans who suffer from almost unfathomable levels of economic, social, and political exploitation. The film has many heart-breaking moments where the powerlessness of the film's protagonists comes through in a way that feels deeply real and authentic. One of the most interesting aspects of this films is that it is the first feature film created in Kaqchikel, one of the many indigenous Mayan languages of Guatemala. The actors are all native speakers of Kaqchikel, and the filmmakers overcame significant difficulties to assemble the cast that they did. The fact that the actors are so inexperienced makes the film all the more incredible because it did not at moment seem faked, at least for me. I would also like to address some of the criticism that has been levelled at the film and the filmmakers. The problem of orthography, that the title uses a c instead of a k, following modern (instead of colonial) spelling conventions, seems like minutiae compared to all of the positive work the film does in raising awareness of many of the problems indigenous Guatemalans face on a routine basis. Many also say the film only reinforces stereotypes about indigenous peoples in Guatemala and in the Americas more broadly. In that for many people this film will be their first exposure to contemporary Mayans, there is a risk of Ixcanul becoming a single story that defines an entire people. But it is the choice of the spectator to determine whether or not he/she will extrapolate stereotypes about an entire people from the portrayal of one family in one village at one specific point in time. However, if you look beyond these somewhat valid criticisms, you will see a cinematic masterpiece that will make you look at the world in a different way.

Yes,I had to read the internet reviews to figure out the plot;& came in fully prepared to compare it to the last similar movie,'el Abraxo de la Serpiente',by Ciro Guerra,a more documentary-like,instructional film about the effects of 300 years of European colonialism on the indigenous Indians of the amazon rain forest. But strangely,the woman(very stoic looking Maria Mercedes Coroy,great actress)reminded me of the Mexican waif('Ride the Pink Pony',1946);excuse me,'RIde the Pink Horse', starring Robert Montgomery; about the small girl who keeps dogging this ex-GI,who lands in San Pablo,New Mexico determined to flush out a new York Mobster for squaring away past debts?both put in great performances;there was a lot of astrological/ mystical references in 'el Abraxo....',not as many in this movie,I wish there were more of those,but Juana(Telon) did call out a lot of references to beseeching blessings of earth,wind,water,volcano,or sacrifice a pig as offering to appease a long,dormant volcano, lest it explode w/ lava & havoc to the nearby villages, so as to bring good luck to her daughter's betrothel to the local coffee plantation owner.(in 'el Abraxo....' it was the local rubber plantation owners who were the villains in movie...)>>

WOW ! is the best movie and seen of all time , I fell in love this film because the plot is as sweet to my eyes because It is the best movie and seen in my entire life , besides this My film should be nominated for Oscar yet because it is a beautiful movie and no other film like this ! , and also the Users who do not pay the best rate is they do not know appreciate the true art of a very good movie and forever I will up port this movie because my I marvel this beautiful movie !also this movie is the best movie of Latin America and Spain , also contains a unique language in the world that is the Guatemalan Mayan languages ​​and that alone also the best education and the best sound