Morelia International Film Festival
october 15 - 23, 2011
Pátzcuaro
For those who prefer to stay in the beautiful town of Pátzcuaro, just 40 minutes away from Morelia on the highway, the festival offers daily special screenings at the Teatro Emperador Caltzontzin in the center of town.
Paulo Vidales/Imagen Latente
Located near a volcanic lake, 2,130 meters above sea level, Pátzcuaro is "an exquisite colonial jewel, relatively silent and full of peace with a rich indigenous heritage", wrote David Kirby of The New York Times. "The peace and beauty of the place is overwhelming. The town is a garden surrounded by parks, plazas, fountains, churches, monasteries, white houses with red roofs, and red bugambilias overflowing from the balconies".
Pátzcuaro was a religious center for the pre-Columbian Purépecha civilization. Thanks to the utopian ideals of 16th century Bishop Don Vasco de Quiroga, each surrounding Purépecha village was taught a specific craft made from clay and iron to strengthen community trade. Don Vasco de Quiroga became a beloved figure in the town and a statue of him stands in the main plaza of Pátzcuaro.
Purépecha´s deities, their music and traditional festivities were incorporated into the Catholic local rites. Today Pátzcuaro is known for its many religious festivities, the most important one being Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2.
Tourist Activities
Pátzcuaro has many architectural gems largely untouched over the years, such as the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud, the Plaza Vasco de Quiroga, Casa de los Once Patios, which used to be the Convento de Santa Catarina and today is a complex where art crafts are exhibited and can be purchased; the Antiguo Templo de San Agustín built in 1576 where the Biblioteca Pública Gertrudis Bocanegra is located, and next to it the Teatro Emperador Caltzontzin, one of FICM's venues.
The main attraction of Patzcuaro is the island of Janitzio. There you can see fishermen and their butterfly-shaped nets and enjoy the tradition of celebrating Día de Muertos. Hundreds of tourists visit Pázcuaro at that time filling most of the hotels in the town.
Lake Pátzcuaro is surrounded by different indigenous groups that still keep their own traditions. Each community is characterized by a distinctive art craft. We strongly recommend visiting the towns around the lake area.
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For more information:
Paulo Vidales/Imagen Latente
Paulo Vidales/Imagen Latente
