MEL Talks - Lance Hastings
Beyond the Ruins: A Documentary About Rural Mayan Culture: Writer/Producer Lance Hastings and filmmaker Brady Skye have documented the life of the traditional Maya in a small village near Valladolid and will discuss the process of their filmmaking and research. The film tells the story of two indigenous Maya families in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula who have managed to maintain their cultural heritage in the face of the 21st century, and explores what other cultures could learn from them to improve their own quality of life. In this talk, Lance updates us on the status of the film and the people featured in it.
Watch the video of Lance’s talk on the MEL YouTube Channel.
You can watch the trailer on YouTube or learn more by visiting the film’s website.
UPDATE AUGUST 2024: Beyond the Ruins has been accepted at the ART&TUR - International Tourism Film Festival, and has been included on the list of the best films for the 17th edition of this important festival, which this year takes place in Lousã. Portugal in October. The film is also an official selection of the Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival in California, and the Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival. They are hopeful for a positive response from the FICMY Merida & Yucatan International Film Festival, which includes a category called "in lak ech" which is literally the heart and soul of the film.
MEL Talks begin at 7:00 PM and are free and open to the public. See our entire season lineup here.
