English 
Español de Guatemala Quarantine Stories - Heladeros
We found it super incredible to tell the story of these two men, in addition to being interesting for us, it is very emotional, because they are a couple of very old friends who at some point in their youth were together, but due to life’s destinies they moved away but were reunited.
Don Julian Acero after working for a long time in the fields and on farms, due to his age it was no longer possible for him to get a job, so he began to undertake making artisan-type baskets, which were made of a material called Reed, he worked for a couple of years but then he decided that it was very dangerous for him to go out to the field for the raw material (because he had to go to the mountain to fetch Carrizo) close relatives advised him that it was the best thing for him, then he saw the need to continue working and earn income to survive because the children already had a family and did not have direct responsibility for it.
That was how Don Julian Acero heard from a man named Enrique Umul who had a small ice cream company, the company worked as follows.
The one who needed the job went with Don Enrique Umul, he provided the ice cream cart and also provided the product, at a lower price, the employees had to go out to the streets to sell ice cream, they earned if they sold enough, he says Don Julián that on a normal day he managed to get profit for his work Q. 12.00 on average, which is equivalent to $1.50, he used that money to survive.
And he had been working for 3 years when one day selling ice cream he met Don Jesús Calan An old friend, and they started talking about the new job that Don Julian Acero had, he told him that Don Enrique Umul had carts available to sell ice cream, Don Jesús Calan he was interested in what his friend told him, days later he spoke with Don Enrique and began to work. This is how they had worked selling ice cream for years, specifically Mr. Jualian Acero for 15 years and Mr. Jesús Calan for approximately 13 years until 2020.
Their comments about the experience of Covid19:
I never thought that this would reach our town, and that they would lock us up and leave us without work.
What worried me the most was my family, I knew that I could die if I didn't listen, but I also wondered what we were going to survive with.
We (Codigo Film) were shocked by this story of these warriors and almost with tears in our eyes we continued to listen to the story they told us.
They continued:
When the pandemic reached Yepocapa, for a moment I felt that it was the end of me, I was very worried because Don Enrique told us that he could no longer provide us with ice cream carts and products, not because of his decision but because The municipal authorities had told him that if he did not pay attention to the rules they would close the company. Don Enrique comments that it hurt him a lot to do this but he had no alternative.
When Don Julián saw the situation, he decided to return to his old job, he began to make reed baskets and some neighbors began to buy him to help him survive, the raw material he obtained from a little that he had planted for a long time in his house and another part came out some days with the company of his old friend don Jesús Calan.
This is how the charity of neighbors and the help of family members managed to get us all through the hardships of the pandemic.
The situation was very complicated, because as Don Enrique had fired all the ice cream vendors, he no longer had a way to bring food to his family, so he decided to sell firewood, he went back to doing what he had done in previous years as a full-time job, since When he got a job as an ice cream man, he got up early a few times a week to go for firewood and then to sell ice cream.
With the difficult situation of the pandemic, he had to dedicate himself completely to selling firewood, it was complicated because nobody bought anything at first, but then neighbors and relatives began to buy firewood from him, that is how Don Julian survived the pandemic to this day, since that normality has not returned, they continue to take care of themselves at home and fight to survive.
Questions and answers From the Filmmakers (translated):
Our team decided to include these stories because it is shocking how these elders, at their advanced age, work hard for their family to survive.
As a team we had difficulties for this film, one of them is that the actors in the story, such is the case of Don Julián Acero and Don Jesús Calan, were elderly men, then due to restrictions by the Guatemalan government, to take care of all people over 60 years old, it was very difficult to get them to the center of the town, and to the places where they usually used to sell ice cream.
After a common agreement to take care of them meticulously, the relatives of both actors did not give permission to have them with us for a few days, but under rules, in that short time we managed to make the end of the story. Then we had to speak with the owner of the company, Don Enrique Umul, who after we as a team spoke with him, and the grandparents very kindly spoke so that they would lend us the ice cream carts, with the condition that we pay for all the ice creams taken out once. instead of the company, we very happily accept.
Well, as they say,”at the end of the day, nobody eats an ice cream with a sad face.”
The teaching that he left us was something spectacular, because they are elderly people, they have a lot of knowledge and experience on issues of daily life, they told us on the set at every moment.
“You guys are very young, don’t do bad things so that life goes well for you, respect your parents and obey.”
We listened to advice like this at every moment, we know that they say it because they have already lived a long time and have had a lot of experience about what they do not talk about, we believe that one of the greatest learnings is having worked with people who know a lot about how live properly.
The best thing we should learn, and in this we all include ourselves, is the example given by these two warrior men, that in everything they told, we did not listen to excuses, or complaints from them, they opened our minds as a team to be decisive, not reel in the face of any circumstance and we would like the public to learn this, these two exemplary men, continue working day by day, they are not waiting for something sitting down, if the adverse situation comes to them, they adapt and overcome it, this must be more than a life lesson.
We would like everyone who sees this story, that in Guatemala there are such talented people who struggle with their work, who adapt to changes, who were determined to fight for their family, and for the common good. That many times the governments want to make the humble people look bad, but in them is the essence of Guatemala.
The Filmmakers
Benjamin Tucubal Gomez
Marvin Coxolca Simon
In this Film
- Julian Acero
- Jesus Calan Xocoy
Location
Yepocapa, Chimaltenango, Guatemala