“I think there is something really powerful about caring about something so much that you would do anything to keep it alive. Meeting the members of Chajil Ch’upup, it really makes you wonder about your own life. Is there something you would get up every morning at the crack of dawn to fight for?”
Jennifer Robbins, Director of Chajil Ch’upup

Canadian filmmaker Jennifer Robbins’ short documentary Chajil Ch’upup has its OTTAWA PREMIERE next Saturday, September 26th at the 2015 One World Film Festival. Chajil Ch’upup is one of four short documentaries screening at at the National Gallery of Canada (380 Sussex Drive, Ottawa), 12:30pm to 2:30pm, as part of our Canadian Documentary Shorts program with Ottawa Indie Fest and hosted by playwright and director Alanis King. A conversation with Jennifer Robbins and other filmmakers will follow the screenings.

Check out Ottawa Indie Fest’s “5 Questions with Jennifer Robbins” to find out more about this inspiring short documentary, which tells the story of Juan, an Tz’utujil Mayan whose family has fished Lake Atitlan – one of the most beautiful lakes in the world – for many generations. Working together with other members of the local fishing cooperative Chajil Ch’upup (Guardians of the Tule), Juan labours with love to protect the lake that supported his ancestors and marks the way forward for his generation and those to come.

Read more about the Canadian Documentary Shorts program and join the Facebook event here.