Do we belong to a place, or does a place belong to us? Like a skein that unravels, this question unfolds the essayistic thread of the film, going through a series of relationships, from the link between Tzotzil women and nature to a reflection on one’s work as a documentary filmmaker.

Mexican director Gabriela Dominguez Ruvalcaba grew up in San Cristóbal de las Casas, in the heart of mountainous Chiapas, where Indigenous peoples have long maintained a strong tradition of resistance.Ways to Traverse a Territoryis inspired by Indigenous ways of being and her concern over the destruction of the land they co-inhabit.

Through an empathetic and poetic lens, Ruvalcaba offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Tsotsil women as they honor their cultural memory of the land. The film follows shepherd women as they tend their sheep, weave wool, and engage in daily rituals. A gentle act of reflexive documentary and community partnership,Ways to Traverse a Territorymeditates on cultural identity and environment through intimate conversations, staged tableaux scenes, and naturalistic vérité.

The film makes its Toronto premiere at PIF following screenings at Locarno, IDFA, and FICUNAM. -PLANET IN FOCUS