The Absent Stone
Director Sandra / Jesse Rozental / Lerner
Countries Mexico, United States
Duration 80 min
Synopsis
In 1964, the largest carved stone in America was transported, by means of an impressive feat of engineering, from the town of San Miguel Coatlinchan, in the county of Texcoco, to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. The removal of the monolith, which represents a pre-Hispanic water deity, sparked a rebellion among the townspeople and the subsequent intervention of the army. Today, this great bulk stands as an urban monument, transformed into one of the main icons of national identity. Conversely, the inhabitants of Coatlinchan maintain that since the stone was taken it has not rained in their territory. The absent stone appears everywhere in Coatlinchan: it is etched in the memories of the inhabitants and haunts the streets in countless reproductions and replicas. Using animation, stock footage from the sixties and currently shot material with the main actors of the displacement, this documentary explores the relevance of ruins of the past in the present.
In 1964, the largest carved stone in America was transported, by means of an impressive feat of engineering, from the town of San Miguel Coatlinchan, in the county of Texcoco, to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. The removal of the monolith, which represents a pre-Hispanic water deity, sparked a rebellion among the townspeople and the subsequent intervention of the army. Today, this great bulk stands as an urban monument, transformed into one of the main icons of national identity. Conversely, the inhabitants of Coatlinchan maintain that since the stone was taken it has not rained in their territory. The absent stone appears everywhere in Coatlinchan: it is etched in the memories of the inhabitants and haunts the streets in countless reproductions and replicas. Using animation, stock footage from the sixties and currently shot material with the main actors of the displacement, this documentary explores the relevance of ruins of the past in the present.