Documentary Dance of the Souls Screens at Festivals
The film explores the traditional muerteadas in Oaxaca through the lens of a returning spirit.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Dance
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Director Ramón Llaven's new documentary, Dance of the Souls, is screening at the Morelia Film Festival and other major international documentary showcases. The film captures the muerteadas tradition in the Etla Valley of Oaxaca from the perspective of a spirit visiting home.
Why it matters
The documentary aims to preserve the cultural heritage of the muerteadas while exploring the personal memories of a spiritual healer. The project also examines the tragic circumstances surrounding the untimely deaths of young men in the town.
The production team captured muerteada footage over two years with costumes weighing as much as 20 kilograms. Some traditional dance events depicted in the film last up to 18 hours.
The players
Ramón Llaven
He is the director of the film who returned to Oaxaca after 15 years to document local traditions.
Morelia Film Festival
This is a prominent film festival in Mexico that showcases both national and international documentary work.
The details
Produced by Fata Morgana and Eudiamonía Films, the movie follows filmmaker Ramón Llaven as he returns to his home region after a 15-year absence. The production team focused on gaining community trust to film the complex rituals in the Etla Valley.
Timeline
Filming for the project began in 2021.
The crew recorded footage of the muerteada celebrations during 2023 and 2024.
The film screened at the Morelia Film Festival in October 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This documentary reflects a growing industry trend of using experimental narrative devices to preserve regional folklore on the global stage. It mirrors the approach of projects seeking recognition similar to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list protections by highlighting community-specific rituals.
Viewers can access the film through its scheduled appearances at the Morelia Film Festival, DocsMX, and the Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival. These festival screenings provide the primary opportunity for international audiences to view the work in a theatrical setting.
The takeaway
Documentaries can serve as a vital bridge between long-standing cultural traditions and modern global audiences. Audiences interested in regional folklore can look for film festival programming to find limited-release ethnographic works.
Further reading
Discover more about the evolving landscape of international film at Dance.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Variety.
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