Representación Cultural del Ecuador en los Filmes en el Nombre de la Hija y Feriado

This article analyzes the cultural representation of Ecuador in the films En el nombre de la hija and Feriado. Both works share common cultural elements such as social class, religion, and the Kichwa language. Similar to other Ecuadorian films, these two present a partial image of Ecuadorian society, privileging upper-class, light-skinned characters while omitting the middle class, which constitutes the country’s demographic majority. The use of the Kichwa language, although important for highlighting cultural diversity, is limited to low-income Indigenous characters, reinforcing stereotypes of poverty and ignorance. Likewise, Catholicism is portrayed as a source of hypocrisy, fanaticism, and conflict, without offering more balanced or positive alternatives. Ecuadorian cinema shows a constant tendency to omit key aspects of national culture, simplifying the country’s reality through a hegemonic white-mestizo lens. While there have been advances in the visibility of marginalized identities, Ecuadorian cinema still faces the challenge of faithfully portraying the country’s sociocultural complexity. As such, Ecuadorian cinema has yet to find a defining artistic voice that also resonates with the majority of its population.