Lina Rodriguez’s ante mis ojos tells a simple story of culture, nature, and history, all through a collection of nearly silent scenes shot with an 8mm camera. Its strength is its simplicity, piecing together disparate shots of nature in an attempt to communicate a greater meaning.

So, the aspect ratio is square, the footage a little grainy, and very little “happens” on screen. Still, it is impossible not to understand the beauty and the seriousness of what is being captured, the primal importance of this place.

The film only hints at the importance of “the top of Guatavita” by mentioning the voices of tourists and allowing a whistled refrain to dominate the soundtrack, shots of a large lake (possibly a crater, or maybe a reservoir) eventually come into focus.

Though there’s no real narrative structure, no characters beyond some nameless humans, the spirit of nature, and the ghost of the past, ante mis ojos is still a powerful and reverential short film.