The vicuña were animals prized by the Incans; they believed the llama-like creatures were actually re-incarnated women, gifted their flaxen pelts by the Gods as a reward for giving life to the civilization. They even had a special name for the vicuña coat: The Gold of the Andes.
The end of the Incans also spelt near destruction for the vicuña, who were hunted to brink of extinction for their hides, but saved by some cultural re-education and the introduction of some protected zones. This multi-faceted story is beautifully told by purveyors of fine knitwear, the Danish-Japanese Inoue Brothers, in this short – that tells the story of an animal prized by the Incans, saved from extinction, and its links to the indigenous communities of Peru – named after the vicuña and made by talented Dutch film-makers and friends of We Heart, Present Plus.
Not only is the subject matter utterly fascinating, but the calm narration, laid over some incredibly expansive visual material shot by Roby Kikic and Joppe Rog, is a haunting and hypnotic little gem. Mention must be made too of the soundtrack by the fantastically-named Danish musician Sorenious Bonk, who adds greatly to the piece.
A film The Inoue Brothers
Production by Present Plus
Directed by Roby Kikic & Joppe Rog
Sounddesign by Sorenious Bonk
In collaboration with mb! by Mercedes-Benz
