Once Upon a Time in Venezuela

In this bittersweet, lyrical doc, Anabel Rodríguez Ríos depicts the final years of a most unusual village. At the film's beginning, Congo Mirador is already on its last legs - quite literally, as most of its buildings are built on stilts above Lake Maracaibo. Alarm over the dangerous buildup of sediment is increasing, but there's still time for tween pageants, motorboat ballad-crooning, holy celebrations and much more, all captured beautifully by Ríos and cinematographer John Márquez.