Armila Trailer

Armila is a remote 600-person village in the indigenous Guna Yala region of Panama. Regional pride is ubiquitous, but as the people adopt Western customs, technologies and ideals, parts of their culture erode under economic and technological pressures. Exposure to mass media, plastic and the almighty dollar has forever changed the ancient culture in a few short decades.

This film explores the interactions between traditional and Western culture in this community, while giving an intimate look at one of the last intact indigenous civilizations in the Americas. Utilizing diptychs, a vérité approach and a day-in-the-life framework, Armila juxtaposes the cultural dichotomies in its namesake village and measures the impact of their collision on Guna society and the surrounding environment.