‘Dance of the Souls,’ Unspooling at Morelia, Explores Oaxaca’s Muerteadas, Celebrating the End and the Beginning

Mexican filmmaker Ramón Llaven’s documentary “Dance of the Souls” explores the muerteadas, Day of the Dead celebrations in Oaxaca’s Etla Valley. Using the imagined journey of a returning spirit, the film follows locals as they honour the dead and celebrate life, drawing on Llaven’s own childhood memories and ties to the region.

The celebrations feature masked dancers in elaborate costumes with bells and mirrors, accompanied by brass bands. Costumes can weigh up to 20 kilograms, and dances may last as long as 18 hours. Filming began in 2021, but the pandemic delayed footage of large public celebrations until 2023 and 2024; the film is screening at festivals in Morelia, Mexico City and Ji.hlava.