In a village at the foot of an active volcano, seventeen-year-old María and her parents cultivate coffee. They practice a mixture of Catholicism and the traditional Maya religion, praying to the Christian God and making offerings to the deity of the volcano. She is arranged to be married to the coffee plantation foreman in a traditional ceremony, but problems arise when her desire to know more of the world beyond the volcano causes unforeseen consequences.

The film stars Guatemalan actress María Mercedes Coroy in her first onscreen role, alognside veteran street theater actors María Telón and Manuel Antún.

Dir/Scr JAYRO BUSTAMENTE is a mestizo filmmaker and screenwriter born and raised in the highlands of Guatemala. Ixcanul is his first feature film, followed by historical horror films La Llorona and Rita.