UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — “Land and Water Revisited,” a documentary written, directed, and produced by Kirk French, Penn State teaching professor of anthropology, was recently named Best Feature Film of the Americas during the 2021 Quetzalcoatl Indigenous International Film Festival. The festival annually recognizes filmmakers for producing works that promote and honor native, aboriginal, and indigenous cultures throughout the world.
“Land and Water Revisited” is a sequel to “Land and Water: An Ecological Student of the Teotihuacan Valley of Mexico,” a 1962 documentary produced by the late William T. Sanders, who was an Evan Pugh Professor at Penn State. In addition to chronicling the environmental and cultural changes that have occurred in the valley since the original documentary was made, “Land and Water Revisited” captures the emotional reactions of valley residents who attended public viewings of the original documentary in 2018. For most of them, it was their first time seeing the film — and seeing some of their friends and family members on screen.
Elijah Hermitt, a 2018 Penn State anthropology alumnus, served as the co-producer, editor and director of photography for “Land and Water Revisited.” The documentary is currently available for streaming on the PBS website.