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"Walker, beware when walking after midnight in places where the Huay Chivo roams, for this creature of darkness can unleash all its evil upon you." Two missionaries arrive in a community to preach their faith, but their mere presence will attract the presence of an evil being, with whom they must not make eye contact, as the result will be disastrous for anyone who does. What follows is a story in which two women are forced to walk through the woods, as the locals refuse to let them stay overnight in a home. They are observed by a creature in the shadows. It sounds like a cliché from a horror movie, but this time the character is quite well-known in Yucatán.
On December 4th, I had the opportunity to attend the screening of the short film and discussion "Walker, Walker: The Legend of the Huay Chivo" at the Mayamax theater, created by the young Luis Quijano, who studied film in Los Angeles, where he filmed this work that, in my opinion, is a good cinematic exercise for its brief ten-minute duration. It involves a great effort to undertake such a task, especially approaching it from the horror genre based on a narrative from our society.
I say this not as a compliment to the young Yucatecan creator but because I recognize the effort put into his work, as it took four days for filming, with a schedule from six in the evening to six in the morning. An actor spent up to five hours preparing the creature's makeup, there were changes in the script, and casting management to find actors in a foreign land who spoke Spanish, avoiding the easy solution of opting for the English language.
There was a genuine interest in doing things well, not perfect, as details like the absence of a Yucatecan accent from the actors are noticeable, but without diminishing the effort. On the contrary, I recognize how the chosen settings were used to not highlight being on foreign soil, leaving it open to interpretation. The protagonist Lilí Goret plays an important role, and her commitment during the shooting is evident. During her brief intervention in the discussion before the short film's screening, she emphasized the connection achieved with Luis Quijano. Unfortunately, despite the variations in the descriptions of the Huay Chivo in different accounts, the makeup at times fails to convince me. I appreciate the profile shots, especially when the figure is not fully visible at times; those are well-executed shots. However, I believe it falters in that aspect. On the other hand, Daniel Hernández's music fits well for the suspense it tries to emphasize, but I clarify that my opinion comes more as a spectator than as a film and music expert.
For me, the most important thing was contextualizing a Mayan legend, known through the rich and varied oral tradition of our state. A story that, over the years, does not die but transforms, like any narrative that can be told through different mediums, from books to cinema. That's why I hope the author's intention to turn it into a feature film becomes a reality, as he revealed his passion for the horror genre during the discussion.
With upcoming projects for the young Luis, who mentioned thinking about a short film where a werewolf interacts with a child, I maintain hope that some of our legends and myths can be brought to the big screen, as there is plenty of material.
Technical details
Short film: Walker, Walker: The Legend of the Huay Chivo
Duration: 10 minutes
Written and directed by Luis Quijano
Cast: Lilí Goret, Patricia Olvera, Julián Cavett
Produced by Luis Quijano and Fuhara Bayibsa
Director of photography: Andri Lantuktl
Music: Daniel Hernández
Makeup: Christopher Osorio