Filmmakers and storytellers Alex Sly and Ine Kracht left Buenos Aires, Argentina in late December 2007. They arrived in Mexico City 10 months later after traversing 15 nations, driving across the Andes, crossing the famed Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama with their truck by ferry and driving through Central America to Mexico City.

Their mission was simple: equipped with a van, a portable screen, a projector and the rights to more than 110 films, Alex and Ine set out to bring cinema to remote pueblos throughout Latin America. Their arduous journey was motivated by the experience of working on an anti-poverty program in Argentina and realizing that while it was a good program, they wanted to do more. They hit upon the idea of bringing movies to those who often do not have them, and very often do not have television. In some instances, the people they visit have never seen a moving image from either TV or movies.

Each stop along the way on this amazing journey weaves another strand into the tapestry of responses that answer the question, "What is America?"

Read Journal entries:  Movies for America, Rodando Cine begins, The niños of Chuqui Chuqui.

We are editing 10 months worth of filmed footage, photography and journal entries and anticipate an initial release by late 2009 or early 2010.

Our Lady was first commissioned by a Portuguese immigrant farmer, a devout Catholic worried about the lack of ardent devotion among his neighbors. He had two statuettes of Our Lady cast by a friend in Brazil and brought to Argentina by ox cart in 1630. Upon reaching the area of Luján, the oxen refused to move until the statuette with the Child Jesus was removed from the cart. This statuette of Our Lady has been venerated ever since.

The pilgrims come from across Latin America and as far away as Scandinavia and Europe to pay homage to Our Lady of Luján. They also come for a variety of reasons besides religion, and the October pilgrimage to Luján has quietly become an international underground cultural phenomenon over the years, often taking on the feel of a concert or festival. Filmmaker Lilian Laura Ivachow, who wrote and directed the film, is a critic for Argentina's most respected journal of cinema, El Amante. She takes us on a fascinating journey into the heart of the Luján phenomenon by creatively embedding a fictional love story at the center of her naturalistic documentary of the pilgrimage.

Pablo and Virginia Go to Luján is the first movie of its kind about Luján, part ultra low budget cinema verité, part unblinking documentary that seamlessly presents environmental themes such as the pollution of the Luján river within the context of the fictional storyline without preaching, but also without flinching, and without distracting from the quirky, unique love story at the center of the film. This story unfolds as the procession to Luján grows ever larger and more fervent in its surge towards transcendence.

Go with us to Luján. See trailer on YouTube.

In a rare archaeological find in 1903, the largely in tact ruins of a pre-Incan village were found at Tastil in northwestern Argentina, the largest and most important such find in Argentine history. The entire population of Tastil, estimated between 2,000 and 3,000  people, disappeared almost overnight sometime between 1360 AD and 1440 AD, before the Incan conquest of the area and well before the European Conquista. To this day, the cause of their disappearance, leaving behind their homes and domestic artifacts, is a mystery. Fascinating myths about Tastil abound among the people of the region.

Profesora Mary Montenegro began studying the ruins in depth after a vacation visit there more than 10 years ago, and she has devoted her life to Tastil since. What Profesora Montenegro discovered was that patterns among the scattered rock etchings at Tastil perfectly matched patterns in ancient Asian, and especially ancient Indian, art and illustrations.

Her presentation based on her book, Las Bailarinas de Tastil (The Dancers of Tastil) draws packed audiences throughout Argentina. Now, Pan American Dreams is working with Profesora Montenegro to make this fascinating and thought provoking presentation available to a wider audience in a bi-lingual book and DVD package.

Full production is scheduled to begin later this year. Inquiries about distribution, involvement as an associate producer or sponsorship opportunities should be directed to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

El Movimiento de Trabajadores Desocupados (Unemployed Worker's Movement) is one of the most interesting stories about the relationship between labor and capital anywhere in the world. The workers occupied and restored abandoned buildings during the Argentine economic collapse of 2000 - 2001. Bartering with the surrounding communities, relying on their own hard work and ingenuity, the worker's were, over time, able to create thriving bakeries, book binderies and even a tourist hotel in the buildings they had occupied and restored. Now that Argentina is booming and property values have skyrocketed, property owners are demanding their buildings back. But the workers are fighting back, and a special government commission has been formed to mediate.

This nationwide workers' movement is unofficially headquartered in the worker operated Hotel Bauen , ironically located in Recoleta, Buenos Aires wealthiest barrio. Workers have operated the hotel successfully and profitably for seven years.

We are going inside this movement and the unique businesses it has spawned. We will talk to movement leaders and explore the underlying legal and political issues and the possible implications for labor and capital worldwide. We will also introduce our audience to La Matanza, a highly successful worker owned bakery in Buenos Aires. And we will of course interview property owners to compare the viewpoints of both labor and capital.

It is mothers and daughters (madres e hijas) who carry and keep lit the life affirming flame from generation to generation. Their stories are to a considerable extent America's story. We are in the early stages of production now filming four families of mothers and daughters, two of whom are three generations deep.

These beautiful women were picked because they have unique stories or family histories, including a mother in Buenos Aires (see images at right) who as a child knew the young actress Evita and who vehemently disagrees with her daughter about Evita's legacy.

The mother is anti-Peronista. The daughter has married a lifelong Peronista activist. But the bonds of family far outweigh the divisions of politics, and both madre e hija are now united in their love for their newest hija, five year old Maria, who is more conversant with the legacy of Homer Simpson than Eva Peron!

This is a Pan American Dreams series that will be filmed in every nation to which we travel for the duration of the project.

See this Journal entry:  Evita