Sandra Henry

12/03/22
Professor Thompson
Span 1020

Extra Credit Film Review Assignment

For the extra credit assignment, I chose Guatemala: Heart of the Mayan World, directed by Luis

Ara and Ignacio Jaunsolo. It is a documentary released on Netflix in 2019 and narrated by

Christian Morales, who also doubles up as the main cast. Although it is narrated in Spanish with

English subtitles, making it is easy for Non-Spanish speakers to follow. The documentary

explores Guatemala’s culture and geological wealth, including the ancient Mayan cities and the

natural wonders (Watch Guatemala: Heart of the Mayan World | Netflix). From Sierra de Las

Minas to Esquiplas, the narrator, Morales, takes the viewer to the historical and cultural aspects

of the Mayan cities.

One of the unique cultural aspects of the Mayan cities I learned from the film is their

impressive architecture and symbolic artwork. The people’s interest in artwork dates back

several centuries when Guatemala reached its peak influence and power. I also learned about the

historical development of Mayan linguistics, specifically how they transitioned from a single

language to diversity in linguistics. Furthermore, I also learned about the ancient Mayan people’s

historical life. It was interesting to learn how they survived in the tropical rainforest and the role

of architecture in their civilization. Learning about the Mayans’ foods, rituals, and clothing was

attractive, as I noted that some of their foods are still famous in Mexico and Spain to date.

Finally, I learned how the Mayan excelled in mathematics, astronomy, and calendars, some of

the greatest attributes of the past philosophers. Among the Spanish words I learned from the
documentary are cultura, a Spanish word for culture, traditicion, which translates to tradition,

and disfraz, a Spanish word for custom. The other Spanish words include ritualis for ritual,

arquitectura for architecture, and alimento for food.

Work Cited

“Watch Guatemala: Heart of the Mayan World | Netflix.” Www.netflix.com,

www.netflix.com/ke/title/81197050. Accessed 2 Dec. 2022.