Screening of the Documentary "Ulama: The Game of Life and Death" at Dupont Underground

Ulama: The Game of Life and Death – Documentary Screening + Q&A

The Mexican Cultural Institute, in collaboration with Dupont Underground, invites you to a special screening of Ulama: The Game of Life and Death, an award-winning documentary from 1986 that explores one of Mexico’s oldest living traditions: the ancient Mesoamerican ballgame.

Following the screening, audiences will have the opportunity to participate in a live Q&A session with the film’s Director, Roberto Rochín, a leading expert on the history and traditions of the Mesoamerican ballgame.

As the world turns its attention to international soccer, this unique event offers a fascinating look at the origins of ball games in the Americas and the cultural significance they held in pre-Hispanic societies. Through stunning visuals and compelling storytelling, the documentary follows the modern practitioners working to preserve ulama, considered a direct descendant of the sacred ballgame played by ancient civilizations across Mexico.

Film language: Spanish with English subtitles
Date: Wednesday, July 1
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Dupont Underground, 19 Dupont Circle NW, Washington, DC

Join us for an evening of film, history, and conversation that brings an ancient Mexican tradition to life.

About the Director Roberto Rochín:

Roberto Rochín is a Mexican filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. His debut feature film Ulama: The Game of Life and Death (1987), received multiple Ariel Awards, including Best First Feature, and was later showcased at Expo 2000 in Hannover and at New York's MET. Through his career, Rochín has earned numerous national and international awards for works such as Un Pedazo de Noche (1995), Paso del Norte (2001), and Purgatorio: Relatos de Juan Rulfo (2008), establishing himself as one of Mexico's most acclaimed filmmakers on the international festival circuit.

This event is part of our progam called Los Juegos de Pelota: Mesoamerican Ball Games, a journey through one of Mesoamerica's most captivating traditions highlighting the past and present of ball games and the invention of the rubber ball and its vulcanization, featuring talks, an exhibit, and a film screening. Learn more