Gabina Funegra with ‘Quechua, the fading Inca Language’ (2010), ‘Quechua in Paris’ (2012/ 2014), ‘Quechua in Cusco’ (2013), ‘Quechua in NY’ (2016) and ‘Mother Tongue’ (2018), has created a body of film work that shares characteristics with in depth long term visual ethnographic film studies.
Each film is a companion to the next and develops a varied approach to the study and works through theoretical issues alongside her original visual film research work with diverse communities across the globe engaged in the revitalization of Quechua, offers unique and contemporary contribution to the field.
Mother Tongue
This extraordinary documentary chronicles Gabina’s search for her indigenous roots through the story of Quechua- the Inca language. Gabina uses participatory visual ethnography to explore the state of Quechua worldwide as well as strategies for its revival and maintenance. Quechua is now being promoted in some of the greatest cities of the world, including Cusco, Paris, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.
Runtime: 50 minutes
Languages: English, Spanish and French
Recognised Director and Producer
“Mother Tongue” is a montage of the four films below:
“Quechua in New York” (20 minutes) 2016
Strategies for the promotion and rehabilitation of the Quechua language and culture in New York.
“Quechua in Cusco” (20 minutes) 2013
An exposition of the promotion of the Quechua language through print, media and music in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire.
“Quechua in Paris” (20 minutes) 2012
An exploration into the teaching of the Quechua language in Paris.
“Quechua: The Fading Inca Language” (20 minutes) 2010
A personal journey through the place of the filmmaker’s indigenous origins.
International recognition for “Mother Tongue” 2019:
2019: Presented at Penn University, Philadelphia, USA
2019: Presented at Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey, USA
2019: Presented at New York University, USA
2019: Presented at The University of Sydney, Australia
International recognition for “Mother Tongue” 2018:
2018: Presented at the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, UNESCO, Geneva Liaison Office
2018: Official Selection for the Peruvian Film Festival, Paris, 10th Edition
2018: Presented at UNSW Art & Design
2016: Presented at Ohio University, USA
2018: Radio Francia Internacional (RFI) ‘Escala en Paris’
2018: Radio Paris, France
2018: Publicard Latino TV, Paris, France
2018: SBS Radio, Sydney, Australia
2018: Newsroom, UNSW, Sydney
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Winner: 2010 Sydney Latin American Film Festival
Quechua, the fading Inca Language
Gabina’s first documentary was a personal journey through the place of her mother’s indigenous origins. Along with her daughter Erika, they travel to a remote village in search of their mother’s language and find relicense among local indigenous communities and a fading of the Quechua language. As a result of these findings Gabina decided to delve deeper into the story of Quechua and explore the promotion and rehabilitation in the Quechua language in a globalised world. The Fading Inca Language had an impressive amount of screenings around the globe.