Through Rocks and Clouds

Our opening film for Discovery Film Festival 2024! 

In a remote region of the Andes, Feliciano, an 8-year-old boy, spends his days looking after alpacas. His only companions are Ronaldo, an adorable young alpaca, and Rambo, an old dog. During his long days watching the alpacas grazing in the mountains, he chats with them about football and his excitement about Peru’s World Cup Qualifiers. However, behind an apparently monotonous and peaceful routine, there is a threatening reality: a contaminated lake and the destruction of natural resources by a mining company.

As Feliciano lives his daily life – shepherding, playing children’s games and indulging his passion for the World Cup – the residents of the community organise themselves to withstand the pressure to sell their land. One day a group of several alpacas are found dead and another group of alpacas, among them Feliciano’s friend Ronaldo, gone. Feliciano begins a long and desperate search for the animals.

Through Feliciano’s innocence, dreams and imagination we are offered a unique insight into the socio-environmental challenges faced by indigenous communities. With a cast of Quechua-speaking actors and a strong presence of Andean mythology, Through Rocks and Clouds offers authenticity and respect for the cultural heritage it represents, making this a locally grounded but universally resonant film. In the International Year of the Camelids, we’re delighted to present a film that shows the importance alpacas have for Andean communities, being an integral part of their everyday life in this region and holding a strong cultural significance.