Pueblo Mágico, a Short Documentary by Mike Silva
While tourism did spike employment in these areas, it came at the cost of the environment and the wellness of native residents. Take the once sleepy village of Tulum for example – whose narrow seaside road is now packed with hotels and restaurants that promote themselves as eco-friendly, meanwhile their diesel generators spew toxins around the clock and their waste is callously dumped into the jungle. Meanwhile municipal figures turn a blind eye as the kick backs fill their pockets. Locals have consequently traded the calming sounds of nature for the abrasive sounds of construction, the refreshing scent of the ocean for the metallic odor of car exhaust.
We at Vessel believe it is vitally important to not only capture the inherent beauty of Pueblo Mágicos in their untouched and natural forms, but to expose the harsh reality of degradation that these ecosystems are facing at the hands of greed and corruption.
The short documentary, Pueblo Mágico, written and directed by our own Mike Silva, superimposes many facets of life in these towns – the people, the animals, the plants, the sea – with the unsettling images of litter, pollution, and flagrant disregard. All the while a disembodied voice reminds us that “this is a special place, it is home.” Featuring an original soundtrack by Sean Aylward of Hello Echo, it is easy to get swept away by the magic of these towns, and to also be reminded of all we have to lose.