The Modern Jungle

A portrait of globalization set in rural Mexico, The Modern Jungle follows don Juan, a Mexican shaman who falls under the spell of a pyramid scheme–marketed nutritional supplement. Juan’s neighbor Carmen lives simply, in harmony with the land that her martyred husband paid for with his life. Mixing documentary and fictional elements, the film follows their struggles and encounters with outside forces: from capitalism and commodity fetish to the culture of contemporary cinema—and even the directors of the film. (72 mins., DCP)