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The Cinematic Potential of the Moche Culture
The Cinematic Potential of the Moche Culture
"A 17-year-old girl discovers she is the reincarnation of the Moche Mother Moon and must journey to her magical lands to awaken her power and free her people from the tyranny of war."
"A 17-year-old girl discovers she is the reincarnation of the Moche Mother Moon and must journey to her magical lands to awaken her power and free her people from the tyranny of war."
The use of pre-Hispanic cultural elements applied to our national cinema is key to the internationalization of Peruvian filmmaking.
The use of pre-Hispanic cultural elements applied to our national cinema is key to the internationalization of Peruvian filmmaking.
This idea was born from the oral stories I heard from the jungle during my childhood—some true, others blended with fantasy. Through them, I learned that our country possesses everything needed to create a truly original cinema, one that showcases our cultures on the global audiovisual stage as something fresh and innovative.
This idea was born from the oral stories I heard from the jungle during my childhood—some true, others blended with fantasy. Through them, I learned that our country possesses everything needed to create a truly original cinema, one that showcases our cultures on the global audiovisual stage as something fresh and innovative.
Can the application of cultural elements in our film industry truly be a determining factor for success abroad?
Can the application of cultural elements in our film industry truly be a determining factor for success abroad?
The answer is yes. I demonstrated this in general terms through a thesis conducted at the National University Federico Villarreal, in which I confirmed my hypothesis by presenting a teaser I personally produced (with a budget of 15,000 soles, entirely self-financed) to foreign audiences—American, European, and Middle Eastern—achieving an acceptance rate of over 90%, without the viewers knowing which culture the teaser referred to (the Moche culture).
The answer is yes. I demonstrated this in general terms through a thesis conducted at the National University Federico Villarreal, in which I confirmed my hypothesis by presenting a teaser I personally produced (with a budget of 15,000 soles, entirely self-financed) to foreign audiences—American, European, and Middle Eastern—achieving an acceptance rate of over 90%, without the viewers knowing which culture the teaser referred to (the Moche culture).
Based on this experience and my research, I decided to focus on the Moche culture, which from the very beginning captivated me due to its extraordinary potential to develop an entire audiovisual universe around it. I did not choose the Inca culture precisely because I wanted to demonstrate that Peru is home to many other cultures capable of achieving great audiovisual accomplishments.
Based on this experience and my research, I decided to focus on the Moche culture, which from the very beginning captivated me due to its extraordinary potential to develop an entire audiovisual universe around it. I did not choose the Inca culture precisely because I wanted to demonstrate that Peru is home to many other cultures capable of achieving great audiovisual accomplishments.
I often joke that the greatest risk of deeply researching a Peruvian culture is that, sooner or later, you inevitably fall in love with it—and that is exactly what happened to me with this incredible culture. Along this journey, it led me to meet remarkable people—including my partner—and even to establish permanent residence in northern Peru.
I often joke that the greatest risk of deeply researching a Peruvian culture is that, sooner or later, you inevitably fall in love with it—and that is exactly what happened to me with this incredible culture. Along this journey, it led me to meet remarkable people—including my partner—and even to establish permanent residence in northern Peru.
The pandemic was, from the outset, a severe blow for all Peruvians. However, despite the difficulties, those of us driven by a passion for art and cinema took advantage of the “extra time” during the early quarantine period to advance long-pending projects. Among them was the first version of the screenplay “The Return of Eng SI”—a title that, incidentally, was christened by archaeologist Régulo Franco during a lunch we shared in Magdalena de Cao, while discussing the project, as we were still uncertain whether to use the word “awakening.”
The pandemic was, from the outset, a severe blow for all Peruvians. However, despite the difficulties, those of us driven by a passion for art and cinema took advantage of the “extra time” during the early quarantine period to advance long-pending projects. Among them was the first version of the screenplay “The Return of Eng SI”—a title that, incidentally, was christened by archaeologist Régulo Franco during a lunch we shared in Magdalena de Cao, while discussing the project, as we were still uncertain whether to use the word “awakening.”
After completing the first version, extensive work continued once the quarantine period ended, leading to a second version much more aligned with the project’s vision, including a fully detailed budget covering the entire screenplay.
After completing the first version, extensive work continued once the quarantine period ended, leading to a second version much more aligned with the project’s vision, including a fully detailed budget covering the entire screenplay.
There is still much research to be done and a strong determination to demonstrate that the only viable path to developing our film industry is by selling our works abroad, given the extremely small size of the domestic market. The key to standing out internationally lies in creating commercial cinema—films with strong screenwriting, high production value, and global market potential—firmly rooted in our national cultures.
There is still much research to be done and a strong determination to demonstrate that the only viable path to developing our film industry is by selling our works abroad, given the extremely small size of the domestic market. The key to standing out internationally lies in creating commercial cinema—films with strong screenwriting, high production value, and global market potential—firmly rooted in our national cultures.
La idea original
La idea original
“The Return of Eng SI” — “Return of the Mother Moon” in the Muchik language — is a feature film project directed by filmmaker Jhalil Moreno C.
The story follows Suy, a humble teenage girl from northern Peru, raised in the peaceful lands of Puerto Eten by her grandfather Chapoñan, one of the greatest Moche warriors of his time.
Suy lives a quiet life until the sudden death of her grandfather drives her to uncover the truth about her past in the fantastical Moche lands. There, she discovers that she is the reincarnation of the Mother Moon herself, destined to save her people from the tyranny of the ruler Dsékerketen.
The original idea dates back to a thesis by the same director entitled:
The original idea dates back to a thesis by the same director entitled:
“The Use of Peruvian Pre-Hispanic Cultural Elements in Commercial Cinema and the Internationalization of National Films.”
In order to develop this project, extensive research was conducted throughout the northern regions of Peru, where information was collected and analyzed from museums, local communities, archaeological sites, and experts deeply knowledgeable on the subject. This process resulted in the first draft of a live-action science fiction feature screenplay inspired by the Moche culture.
To promote the project, a teaser was filmed—an audiovisual piece that, together with the project itself, will serve as a key tool in securing financing for the realization of this ambitious production.
Story Line
Story Line
Suy is a 17-year-old girl raised alongside her younger brother by her grandfather, Chapoñan. One day, she learns through a group of Moche warriors who have traveled from distant lands that she is the reincarnation of the Mother Moon.
After her grandfather dies from a heart illness, Suy decides—together with her brother—to seek her roots and discover the magical world she will soon be destined to defend, even at the cost of her own life.
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