‘Dead Woman’s Pass’ documents battle to overcome decades of abuse in Peru

In the Peruvian Andes, an indigenous woman embarks on a journey to her ancestral home that will force her to confront the horrors from her past. Maxi Manuttupa is a single-mother living in Cusco. After decades of abuse from her husband, Maxi decides to leave him, taking their daughter with her. Working as a maid in the city, she barely makes enough, and is forced to live in a precarious situation.

Haunted by trauma from her past, Maxi is anxious to find a safer home for her daughter. But to do so, she will need to earn more. She decides to become a porter, a job traditionally held by men, and carry bags for tourists up the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Dead Woman’s Pass, directed by Lali Houghton and produced by Poh Si Teng, follows Maxi as she fights to overcome decades of abuse.

Only by returning to her roots can she finally be free.

Since the coronavirus pandemic, more than 900 girls and women have been reported missing in Peru, with many feared dead, according to authorities. Violence against women across Latin America has soared since many countries have had to impose Covid-19 lockdowns.

Dead Woman’s Pass is an Al Jazeera Witness documentary and Pacha Films production. It qualified for the 2021 BAFTA and recently won Best Documentary Short at the London International Documentary Film Festival, Special Jury Mention at the Palm Springs International ShortFest, the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival and was part of the official selection of the Havana Film Festival.

This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 11:31 AM.