Titixe

When the grandfather of filmmaker Tania Hernández Velasco dies, the family and farm in rural Mexico are left without their patriarch and steward of the land. As a loving tribute, and in a steadfast attempt to maintain both the land and tradition, the family members band together to undertake a black bean harvest. While the bereaved but determined descendants may be lacking in resources and experience, the film eloquently depicts (and embodies) a wealth of diligent sensitivity and resolve via rhythmic montage, evocative close-ups, and resonant sound design. The camera itself is like a member of the family, as its graceful movement and expressive compositions chronicle the seasons’ imagery and episodes with both diaristic efficiency and poetic flourish. As the dramas of the seasons, landscape, and weather play out with tangible suspense and wonder, an omnipresent sense of uncertainty underscores a cautionary tale about the abdication of generational wisdom, the fragility of the family tree, and reaping what we sow. (Full Frame Documentary Film Festival)