Join Cielo on State Street for a Badgers on Tap event on October 28, 2026 at 6:30 PM to learn about Día de los Muertos! There will be a screening of the short film “La Vida y Los Muertos” by Carolyn Kallenborn, followed by a discussion with the speaker herself (she will participate via Zoom). This event is a part of the Wisconsin Science Festival!

La Vida y Los Muertos is filled with rich visuals and captivating music to evoke the beauty, joy, sadness and magic of the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico. The film winds its way from the funky urban feel of the city of Oaxaca, through the intimate home altars in Teotitlan and Mitla, the enchanting candle-lit midnight cemetery of Atzompa, and the joyous flower covered graves in San Antonino. La Vida y Los Muertos is a “silent” film with no narration, inviting the audience to immerse themselves in the music and the imagery to experience a slowing down of time that is an inherent part of the festival. The film provides an opportunity to notice the care and thoughtfulness of the preparations and to experience the joyous celebration of life.

As an art film, La Vida y Los Muertos is a journey through the city of Oaxaca and five near-by villages during the celebration of Day of the Dead. In the city and in the villages, this beautiful festival of death is very lively. The juxtaposition of music, food and celebration with cemeteries and death is surreal. With little narration, rich visuals and complex soundtrack, each chapter captures the mood and the impression of one particular place.