Nov
After 10 Years of Filming in Yantalo, Peru Documentary Completed
Filming in the jungle of Peru for 10 years, "Mortality of Dreams" follows the dream of Dr. Luis Vasquez to construct a state of the art, sustainably designed, international volunteer-run hospital. Top specialists in healthcare from around the world are collaborating on the project, setting an example for a new system of global health volunteerism.
The film is finally available on DVD and is organizing screenings with organizations and Universities. Watch the trailer and buy the DVD here.
University Library acquisitions include Princeton University, Dartmouth, NewSchool of Architecture & Design, Middlebury College Architectural Studies department, and University of Alberta Canada. DePaul University, Middlebury, NewSchool in San Diego, among others are also working on setting up screenings.
What are the consequences of obsessing over a dream in order to leave a legacy? A passionate, 81-year-old retired cardiologist attempts the construction an environmentally sustainable hospital in Peru. He dreams of a state of the art and volunteer-run hospital, which will provide healthcare for all. The catch? It will be over 600 miles from Lima, in his mother’s home village. Filmed over 10 years with annual visits, “Mortality of Dreams” is an intimate portrait of Luis and a jungle village as they both undergo transformations. In the bigger picture, it’s about global health, volunteerism, leaving a legacy, sustainable design, economic inequalities, and Latin American heritage. The film captures a town unchanged for 100 years, held back by government, as it learns to change on its own. Top specialists in healthcare from around the world are collaborating on the project, setting an example for a new system of global health volunteerism.
The many top physicians that volunteer in Yantalo throughout the 10 year process see the opportunity as a way to give back and learn about another culture. Immersing oneself into a new culture is the dream of many. This film takes viewers inside a tiny Peruvian village and tells the story of the impact one can have on the world.
“An amazing journey of resilience and obsession for Vasquez, which threatens to destroy his own personal life, while improving the lives of others.” WIRF - White River Indie Festival
“It tells a unique story of people motivated by a charismatic figure to improve health care in rural Peru. It is a moving story of altruism and passion to contribute to the wellbeing of others.” - Keith T. Oldham, MD: Surgeon in Chief Children's Hospital of Wisconsin
