Daughters of the Forest

Daughters of the Forest
dir. Otilia Portillo Padua/Mexico/2026/95 min

An immersive documentary on the border between science fiction and documentary cinema – a cinematic journey through Mexicos mushroom-rich forests, where the worlds of humans and fungi intertwine. We follow two Indigenous mycologists – Eliseete and Julieta – raised in cultures that have long regarded mushrooms as carriers of knowledge and sources of healing. Combining traditional practices passed down from generation to generation with modern mycology, they operate at the intersection of the visible and the invisible. At the same time, they confront contemporary challenges: discrimination, environmental degradation, and climate and social change. Seeking to reconcile the past with the present, they redefine the future – both their own and that of the relationship between humans and the world of fungi. The film explores not only the idea of coexistence between humans and nature, but also the potential of fungi as a key to new ways of thinking about the environment and the future of humanity. It invites reflection on the role of the individual and of science in a rapidly changing world.

 

READ MORE
HIDE
projection time:
95 min
country/year:
Mexico /2026
director:
Otilia Portillo Padua
original language of the film:
Spanish, Zapotec
pictures:
Martin Boege
editor:
Lorenzo Mora
production:
Paula Arroio, Elena Fortes / Oscura Producciones, Sandbox Films, Fiasco
festivals and awards:
2026 – CPH:DOX Copenhagen, 2026 – SXSW Texas
Other films on this section Climate for Change
Istoty czujące
Pieśni lasu
Kłopotliwy niedźwiedź
Other films with these tags ecology
Wszystko, co się świeci
Sny o słoniach
Niedźwiedzica
Other films from this competition The ETNOMATOGRAF Award
Amazomania
Sny o słoniach
Yanuni