This festival brought together 39 works from 10 countries
Thanks to the collaboration between the Autonomous University of Querétaro (UAQ) and Dr. Marinus L. Otte, professor of Biological Sciences at North Dakota State University (NDSU), the presented the documentary “Perceptions on water” (“Water Talks: Perceptions from Sierra Gorda”), Produced by Tatiana Lobato de Magalhães and Otte at the North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival, in Fargo, North Dakota, as part of the UAQ-Fulbright Specialist Program.
The researcher at UAQ’s Faculty of Natural Sciences (FCN), Lobato de Magalhães, reported that this filmic work arises after the visit of Dr. Otte to the Sierra Gorda where the perception of various local actors was analyzed, the aquifer situation of the region and the result of the development of several university actions related to water management and the construction of cisterns for water collection (CEACOM-UAQ projects), among others.
“They are testimonials from the people of the Sierra Gorda, the challenges they have with water, the solutions they are presenting, their vision of the past. For example, several of them had to walk five hours to get it, carry it home, or they swam in places that were clean and now they can’t because they no longer exist, they were destroyed, or they are too polluted, and at the end they talk to us about what the future perspective of water care in this region”explained the researcher.
He mentioned that This experience in the mountainous area of Querétaro can help other regions in the world to understand this water problem and have an impact on them., so sharing it was a fundamental part of taking this film to that important festival. Likewise, he said that it was enriching to have attended this event in the city of Fargo and to talk with other filmmakers and the public that attended the presentation.
“For me the experience was very interesting because it is a different way of contacting society in general, I think that as scientists and as an academy, the UAQ and the NDSU also have the commitment to make this connection with people”, assured the teacher.
The professor said that the fact of having participated in this festival, which brought together 39 works from 10 countries, is transcendental, since thanks to all the effort that was made in it, bringing together a great production team and the collaboration of Dr. Marinus L .Otte, a product of excellent academic quality was created, research and film, not to mention the collaborative ties that were forged with an institution like the NDSU.
During this project, there was the support of the Faculty of Natural Sciences (FCN) and the Liaison Department of the UAQ, as well as the Coordination of Communication and Media, the Coordination of Audiovisual Services and the Editorial Fund UAQ.
It should be noted that along with the documentary, a book titled: “Perspectives on the sustainable management of water and wetlands in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Mexico” and five short films. It is also intended to continue this investigation and return to the Sierra to show all this material and what was achieved with it.
“Perceptions about water” was released in February 2022 and was recently screened at the Cineteca Rosalío Solano in this city; however, can be viewed directly on the project page https://uaqfulbrightspecialist.weebly.comas well as its English version on the Festival’s own page.
This project had the financial support of the Knowledge Development Fund (UAQ-FONDEC-Vinculación-2021), the Fulbright Specialists Program (FSP-P006854), the Council of Science and Technology of the State of Querétaro (CONCYTEQ-20101436), the Mexico-United States Commission (COMEXUS) and the Faculty of Science and Mathematics from NDSU.