I Died review – moving portrait of Tzotzil women confronting patriarchal violence in the Mexican highlands

Ana Ts’uyeb’s poetic film celebrates the resilience of Indigenous women while exploring the possibility of a different future

Shot in her home village of Naranjatic Alto in the Mexican highlands, Ana Ts’uyeb’s documentary debut is a stirring ode to the courageous women of the Indigenous Tzotzil community. The film centres on three important figures in her life: her mother, Margarita; her aunt, Juana; and her sister-in-law, Faustina. Each is from a different generation, yet they have all suffered at the hands of patriarchal violence.

The patterns of systemic abuse and disenfranchisement are startlingly similar. All three women recall past opportunities to advance their education, hopes and dreams that were squashed by fathers and other male relatives. Also rampant are physical and psychological abuse. There’s a sobering matter-of-fact tone to their reminiscence; their unfortunate experiences appear to be a common reality endured by many Tzotzil women.