🎙️ Tito Catacora, co-director of "Yana-Wara"

Listen to our podcast conversation with Tito Catacora, co-director of “Yana-Wara,” Peru’s 2025 Oscar submission.

In the latest episode of the Showcast, we delve into Yana-Wara, Peru’s 2025 Oscar submission. The film is a stark and mysterious drama about a 13-year-old girl from a remote Indigenous Andean community and her 80-year-old grandfather, who finds himself accused of her murder. Beyond its shocking premise, Yana-Wara offers a profound exploration of the duality of good and evil spirits in Andean culture, and the intersection of tradition, gender violence and supernatural beliefs in an isolated Andean community.

Joining us to discuss the film is Tito Catacora, its co-director, who stepped in to complete it after his nephew, Oscar, with whom he has previously crafted acclaimed, works, tragically passed away just one week into filming. Catacora shares insights into the film’s bold artistic choices, including stark black-and-white cinematography, no musical score and a cast of non-professional actors, all of which lend the film a distinctly Andean soul. We also explore the powerful themes at the heart of Yana-Wara and the cultural beat that drives it.

Showcast is a series of candid podcast conversations from the world of film, presented by The Film Verdict and hosted by Matt Micucci.