Imaynallam,

I’m so happy to share that our short film Kusi Smiles (2025) has been selected to screen at a major film festival in Latin America this November!

We are a team of Quechua filmmakers who made this film in Ayacucho, Peru. Our team includes me, Sisa Quispe (Writer and Director), Apolo Bautista (Producer), Renata Flores (Lead Actress), and Cirilo Quispe (Supporting Actor and leader of the Indigenous community we collaborated with).

Kusi Smiles follows a Quechua teenager who, unable to sing, returns to her Andean community, where sisterhood, music, and the land that raised her guide her through grief toward healing. The film invites us to reflect on the aftermath of loss, trauma, and survival, prompting thoughts about the healing process through the lens of Quechua music, dance festivals, and communal rituals.

Being invited to share our film at this festival in Argentina is a big moment for us and for our community. It is so important that we can be there in person, to represent our work, to share our story from our own perspective, and to make sure Indigenous Quechua voices are seen and heard in spaces where they’re often missing.

We’re raising $3,350 to help cover travel and lodging for our team during the festival dates (6-16November 2025). Your support will help us get there and cover:

✈️ Flights and local transportation

Lodging and meals

This opportunity will allow us to connect with other filmmakers, share our experiences, and open doors for future projects that continue to uplift our culture and stories.

Any contribution, big or small, will help us bring Kusi Smiles and Quechua representation to the world stage. Thank you so much for helping us make this journey possible!

With gratitude,

Sisa Quispe & the Kusi Smiles Team