Pretentious is never a word you want associated with your film. It has a connotation that just never serves your project well, in the least. Unfortunately, Luxor, despite some strong visuals and a nice central performance, can’t help but give off that vibe. It’s palpable throughout a picture that wants to be hypnotic, but instead mostly winds up being frustrating. Now, that doesn’t make this a bad movie, but it’s one that’s too hit or miss, at least for me, to recommend. I’m in the minority when it comes to this flick, so keep that in mind, but when it opens this week, I’ll be one of the few not quite able to sing its praises… The movie is a drama, mixed with a little romance. Hana (Andrea Riseborough) is a British aid worker returning to the ancient city of Luxor, where she’s previously been before.
- 12/2/2020
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Topic, the fast-growing streaming service from First Look Media, has acquired North American streaming rights to Anabel Rodriguez Rios’ documentary feature debut, “Once Upon a Time in Venezuela.” The film, which explores the decline of the Venezuelan fishing village of Congo Mirador and, more broadly, the country’s complicated current political and social climate, made its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. It is Venezuela’s 2021 Academy Award submission for best international feature film, and was shortlisted for the 2020 IDA Documentary Awards. Topic plans an aggressive Oscar push for both documentary and foreign categories.
On Lake Maracaibo, beneath the mysterious silent Catatumbo lightning, the village of Congo Mirador is preparing for parliamentary elections. For streetwise local businesswoman and Chavist party representative Tamara every vote counts, fought by all means, while for opposition-supporting teacher Natalie, politics is a weapon unsuccessfully attempting to force her from her job. And with her sharp eyes,...
On Lake Maracaibo, beneath the mysterious silent Catatumbo lightning, the village of Congo Mirador is preparing for parliamentary elections. For streetwise local businesswoman and Chavist party representative Tamara every vote counts, fought by all means, while for opposition-supporting teacher Natalie, politics is a weapon unsuccessfully attempting to force her from her job. And with her sharp eyes,...
- 11/30/2020
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
It's a well-known fact that Iberoamerican cinema, which includes Latin American, Spanish, and Portuguese productions, has had a prominent presence at the most important international film festivals for several years now and several films have been recognized at some of the most important film awards around the world. Colombia's "Embrace of the Serpent" earning the country's first-ever Oscar nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film category and Argentina's "Wild Tales" taking home the 2016 BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in English Language are juts two examples of recent victories.
Acknowledging the need for a unified industry in the region and a platform for the Iberoamerican industry to honor and support its own productions, the Premios Platino of Iberoamerican Cinema were born three years ago. Each year the organizing committee selects a diverse group of nominees and invites members of the industry across the American continent and the Iberian peninsula to vote in order to select the winners. The ceremony takes place in a different country every year as a way to include all of the varied industries in the process and execution of the event.
This morning, after considering more than 150 films from a pool of over 800 theatrically releases productions, the final nominees were announced by a group of talented actors, including legendary Mexican-American thespian Edward James Olmos, and filmmakers led by CNN en Español's journalist Juan Carlos Arciniegas. Guatemala's Berlin-winning gem "Ixcanul" received 8 nominations, just as Colombia's Oscar-nominated "Embrace of the Serpent" did. These two gorgeously executed works center on indigenous stories and highlight the rich cultural heritage of Latin America. It's a pleasant surprise to see these two fantastic films get the most love.
Chile's "The Club" and Argentina's "The Clan," films by the two most prolific Pablos working in South America, Pablo Larrain and Pablo Trapero, received 6 nominations each. Larrain's dark tale about Catholic priests with questionable pasts was also nominated this year for a Golden Globe in the Best Foreign Language Film category. Perhaps one of the most surprising, yet well-deserved nominations, was the inclusion of Alonso Ruizpalacios among the Best Director nominees for his brilliant debut "Güeros."
Two films distributed by Pantelion received nomations: "600 Miles" and "Un Gallo con Muchos Huevos." Oscilloscope earned 10 mentions with properties "Ma Ma" and "Embrace of the Serpent." Kino Lorber's "Ixcanul, ""Güeros," and "The Pearl Button" also earned the art house distributor 10 nominations.
Regarding the quality of the films being produced in Iberoamerica Egeda's Elvi Cano said, “This has been an exceptional year for Iberoamerican Cinema, with 826 qualifying releases. Iberoamerican Cinema is alive, growing and stronger then ever.” Renowned journalist and host Juan Carlos Arciniegas added," These awards are starting a revolution and it's my dream, as an ambassador for Premios Platino, that these magnificent films that got nominated today to be seen by all our Iberoamerican audiences. I can't be more proud of what our filmmakers are doing today and if the public don't get to enjoy them, we won't be doing our job"
The 3rd Annual Premios Platino of Iberoamerican Cinema will take place on July 24th in Punta del Este, Uruguay
Here is the full list of nominees:
Premio Platino for Best Iberoamerican Picture
-"Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente), by Ciro Guerra (Ciudad Lunar Producciones, Caracol Cine, Dago García Producciones, Nortesur Producciones S.A., Mc Producciones, Buffalo Films) (Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina).
-"The Clan" (El clan), by Pablo Trapero (Kramer & Sigman Films, Matanza Cine S.R.L., El Deseo, P.C., S.A.) (Argentina, Spain).
-"The Club" (El club), by Pablo Larraín (Fabula Producciones) (Chile).
-"Ixcanul," by Jayro Bustamante (La Casa de Producción, Tu vas voir Productions) (Guatemala).
-"Truman," by Cesc Gay (Imposible Films S.L., Truman Film A.I.E., Bd Cine S.R.L) (Spain, Argentina).
Premio Platino for Best Director
-Alonso Ruizpalacios, for "Güeros."
-Cesc Gay, for "Truman."
-Ciro Guerra, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
Pablo Larraín, for "The Club" (El club).
Pablo Trapero, for "The Clan" (El clan).
Premio Platino for Best Actor
-Alfredo Castro, for "The Club" (El club).
-Damián Alcázar, for "Magallanes."
-Guillermo Francella, for "The Clan" (El clan).
-Javier Cámara, for "Truman."
-Ricardo Darín, for "Truman."
Premio Platino for Best Actress
-Antonia Zegers, for "The Club" (El club).
-Dolores Fonzi, for "Paulina."
-Elena Anaya, for "The Memory of Water" (La memoria del agua).
-Inma Cuesta, for "The Bride" (La novia).
-Penélope Cruz, for "Ma Ma."
Premio Platino for Best Original Score
-Alberto Iglesias, for "Ma Ma."
-Federico Jusid, for "Magallanes."
-Lucas Vidal, for "Nobody Wants the Night" (Nadie quiere la noche).
-Nascuy Linares, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Pascual Reyes, for "Ixcanul."
Premio Platino for Best Animated Feature Film
-"Capture the Flag" (Atrapa la bandera), by Enrique Gato (Telecinco Cinema S.A., Los Rockets La Película A.I.E., Telefónica Studios S.L.U., 4 Cats Pictures S.L., Ikiru Films S.L., Lightbox Animation Studios S.L.) (Spain).
-"Top Cat Begins" (Don Gato 2: El inicio de la pandilla), by Andrés Couturier (Anima Estudios) (Mexico).
-"El Americano", by Ricardo Arnaiz, Mike Kunkel (Olmos Productions, Phil Roman Entertainment, Animex) (Mexico).
-"Amila's Secret" (El secreto de Amila), by Gorka Vázquez (Baleuko, S.L., Talape Animazioa, Draftoon Animation) (Spain, Argentina).
-"Huevos: Little Rooster's Egg-Cellent Adventure" (Un gallo con muchos huevos), by Gabriel Riva Palacio Alatriste, Rodolfo Riva Palacio Alatriste (Huevocartoon Producciones) (Mexico).
Premio Platino for Best Documentary Feature Film
-"Beyond My Grandfather Allende" (Allende mi abuelo Allende), by Marcia Tambutti Allende (Errante Producciones Ltda, Martfilms) (Chile, Mexico).
-"New Girls 24 Hours" (Chicas nuevas 24 horas), by Mabel Lozano (Mafalda Entertainment, S.L., Aleph Media S.A., Puatarará Films, Hangar Films, Arte Vital) (Spain, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Peru).
-"The Pearl Button" (El botón de nácar), by Patricio Guzmán (Atacama Productions, Valdivia Film, France 3 Cinema, Mediaproduccion, S.L.) (Chile, Spain).
-"Tea Time" (La once), by Maite Alberdi (Micromundo Producciones) (Chile).
-"The Propaganda Game," by Álvaro Longoria (Morena Films S. L.) (Spain).
Premio Platino for Best Screenplay
-Cesc Gay, Tomás Aragay, for "Truman."
-Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Jayro Bustamante, for "Ixcanul."
-Pablo Larraín, Guillermo Calderón, Daniel Villalobos; for "The Club" (El club).
-Salvador del Solar, for "Magallanes."
Premio Platino for Best Iberoamerican Debut Feature Film
-"600 Miles" (600 Millas), by Gabriel Ripstein (Lucia Films) (Mexico).
- "Retribution" (El desconocido), by Dani de la Torre (Atresmedia Cine S. L., Vaca Films Studio, S.L.) (Spain).
-"The Boss, Anatomy of a Crime" (El patrón: radiografía de un crimen), by Sebastián Schindel (Magoya Films S.A., Estrella Films) (Argentina, Venezuela).
-"Ixcanul," by Jayro Bustamante (La Casa de Producción, Tu vas voir Productions) (Guatemala).
-"Magallanes," by Salvador del Solar (Péndulo Films, Tondero Producciones, Cepa Audiovisual S.R.L., Proyectil, Cinemara, Nephilim Producciones, S.L.) (Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Spain).
Premio Platino for Best Film Editing
-César Díaz, for "Ixcanul."
-Eric Williams, for "Magallanes."
-Etienne Boussac, Cristina Gallego, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Jorge Coira, for "Retribution" (El desconocido).
-Pablo Trapero, Alejandro Carrillo Penovi, for "The Clan" (El clan).
Premio Platino for Best Art Direction
-Angélica Perea, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Bruno Duarte, Artur Pinheiro, for "Arabian Nights: Vol.2 - The Desolate One" (As mil e uma noites: Volume 2, O desolado).
-Jesús Bosqued Maté, Pilar Quintana, for "The Bride" (La novia).
-Pilar Peredo, for "Ixcanul."
-Sebastián Orgambide, for "The Clan" (El clan).
Premio Platino for Best Cinematography
-Arnaldo Rodríguez, for "The Memory of Water" (La memoria del agua).
-David Gallego, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Luis Armando Arteaga, for "Ixcanul."
-Miguel Ángel Amoedo, for "The Bride" (La novia).
-Sergio Armstrong, for "The Club" (El club).
Premio Platino for Best Sound Direction
-Carlos García, Marco Salavarría, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-David Machado, Jaime Fernández, Nacho Arenas, for "Retribution" (El desconocido).
-Eduardo Cáceres, Julien Cloquet, for "Ixcanul."
-Federico Esquerro, Santiago Fumagalli, Edson Secco, for "Paulina."
-Vicente D’Elía, Leandro de Loredo, for "The Clan" (El clan).
Acknowledging the need for a unified industry in the region and a platform for the Iberoamerican industry to honor and support its own productions, the Premios Platino of Iberoamerican Cinema were born three years ago. Each year the organizing committee selects a diverse group of nominees and invites members of the industry across the American continent and the Iberian peninsula to vote in order to select the winners. The ceremony takes place in a different country every year as a way to include all of the varied industries in the process and execution of the event.
This morning, after considering more than 150 films from a pool of over 800 theatrically releases productions, the final nominees were announced by a group of talented actors, including legendary Mexican-American thespian Edward James Olmos, and filmmakers led by CNN en Español's journalist Juan Carlos Arciniegas. Guatemala's Berlin-winning gem "Ixcanul" received 8 nominations, just as Colombia's Oscar-nominated "Embrace of the Serpent" did. These two gorgeously executed works center on indigenous stories and highlight the rich cultural heritage of Latin America. It's a pleasant surprise to see these two fantastic films get the most love.
Chile's "The Club" and Argentina's "The Clan," films by the two most prolific Pablos working in South America, Pablo Larrain and Pablo Trapero, received 6 nominations each. Larrain's dark tale about Catholic priests with questionable pasts was also nominated this year for a Golden Globe in the Best Foreign Language Film category. Perhaps one of the most surprising, yet well-deserved nominations, was the inclusion of Alonso Ruizpalacios among the Best Director nominees for his brilliant debut "Güeros."
Two films distributed by Pantelion received nomations: "600 Miles" and "Un Gallo con Muchos Huevos." Oscilloscope earned 10 mentions with properties "Ma Ma" and "Embrace of the Serpent." Kino Lorber's "Ixcanul, ""Güeros," and "The Pearl Button" also earned the art house distributor 10 nominations.
Regarding the quality of the films being produced in Iberoamerica Egeda's Elvi Cano said, “This has been an exceptional year for Iberoamerican Cinema, with 826 qualifying releases. Iberoamerican Cinema is alive, growing and stronger then ever.” Renowned journalist and host Juan Carlos Arciniegas added," These awards are starting a revolution and it's my dream, as an ambassador for Premios Platino, that these magnificent films that got nominated today to be seen by all our Iberoamerican audiences. I can't be more proud of what our filmmakers are doing today and if the public don't get to enjoy them, we won't be doing our job"
The 3rd Annual Premios Platino of Iberoamerican Cinema will take place on July 24th in Punta del Este, Uruguay
Here is the full list of nominees:
Premio Platino for Best Iberoamerican Picture
-"Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente), by Ciro Guerra (Ciudad Lunar Producciones, Caracol Cine, Dago García Producciones, Nortesur Producciones S.A., Mc Producciones, Buffalo Films) (Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina).
-"The Clan" (El clan), by Pablo Trapero (Kramer & Sigman Films, Matanza Cine S.R.L., El Deseo, P.C., S.A.) (Argentina, Spain).
-"The Club" (El club), by Pablo Larraín (Fabula Producciones) (Chile).
-"Ixcanul," by Jayro Bustamante (La Casa de Producción, Tu vas voir Productions) (Guatemala).
-"Truman," by Cesc Gay (Imposible Films S.L., Truman Film A.I.E., Bd Cine S.R.L) (Spain, Argentina).
Premio Platino for Best Director
-Alonso Ruizpalacios, for "Güeros."
-Cesc Gay, for "Truman."
-Ciro Guerra, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
Pablo Larraín, for "The Club" (El club).
Pablo Trapero, for "The Clan" (El clan).
Premio Platino for Best Actor
-Alfredo Castro, for "The Club" (El club).
-Damián Alcázar, for "Magallanes."
-Guillermo Francella, for "The Clan" (El clan).
-Javier Cámara, for "Truman."
-Ricardo Darín, for "Truman."
Premio Platino for Best Actress
-Antonia Zegers, for "The Club" (El club).
-Dolores Fonzi, for "Paulina."
-Elena Anaya, for "The Memory of Water" (La memoria del agua).
-Inma Cuesta, for "The Bride" (La novia).
-Penélope Cruz, for "Ma Ma."
Premio Platino for Best Original Score
-Alberto Iglesias, for "Ma Ma."
-Federico Jusid, for "Magallanes."
-Lucas Vidal, for "Nobody Wants the Night" (Nadie quiere la noche).
-Nascuy Linares, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Pascual Reyes, for "Ixcanul."
Premio Platino for Best Animated Feature Film
-"Capture the Flag" (Atrapa la bandera), by Enrique Gato (Telecinco Cinema S.A., Los Rockets La Película A.I.E., Telefónica Studios S.L.U., 4 Cats Pictures S.L., Ikiru Films S.L., Lightbox Animation Studios S.L.) (Spain).
-"Top Cat Begins" (Don Gato 2: El inicio de la pandilla), by Andrés Couturier (Anima Estudios) (Mexico).
-"El Americano", by Ricardo Arnaiz, Mike Kunkel (Olmos Productions, Phil Roman Entertainment, Animex) (Mexico).
-"Amila's Secret" (El secreto de Amila), by Gorka Vázquez (Baleuko, S.L., Talape Animazioa, Draftoon Animation) (Spain, Argentina).
-"Huevos: Little Rooster's Egg-Cellent Adventure" (Un gallo con muchos huevos), by Gabriel Riva Palacio Alatriste, Rodolfo Riva Palacio Alatriste (Huevocartoon Producciones) (Mexico).
Premio Platino for Best Documentary Feature Film
-"Beyond My Grandfather Allende" (Allende mi abuelo Allende), by Marcia Tambutti Allende (Errante Producciones Ltda, Martfilms) (Chile, Mexico).
-"New Girls 24 Hours" (Chicas nuevas 24 horas), by Mabel Lozano (Mafalda Entertainment, S.L., Aleph Media S.A., Puatarará Films, Hangar Films, Arte Vital) (Spain, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Peru).
-"The Pearl Button" (El botón de nácar), by Patricio Guzmán (Atacama Productions, Valdivia Film, France 3 Cinema, Mediaproduccion, S.L.) (Chile, Spain).
-"Tea Time" (La once), by Maite Alberdi (Micromundo Producciones) (Chile).
-"The Propaganda Game," by Álvaro Longoria (Morena Films S. L.) (Spain).
Premio Platino for Best Screenplay
-Cesc Gay, Tomás Aragay, for "Truman."
-Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Jayro Bustamante, for "Ixcanul."
-Pablo Larraín, Guillermo Calderón, Daniel Villalobos; for "The Club" (El club).
-Salvador del Solar, for "Magallanes."
Premio Platino for Best Iberoamerican Debut Feature Film
-"600 Miles" (600 Millas), by Gabriel Ripstein (Lucia Films) (Mexico).
- "Retribution" (El desconocido), by Dani de la Torre (Atresmedia Cine S. L., Vaca Films Studio, S.L.) (Spain).
-"The Boss, Anatomy of a Crime" (El patrón: radiografía de un crimen), by Sebastián Schindel (Magoya Films S.A., Estrella Films) (Argentina, Venezuela).
-"Ixcanul," by Jayro Bustamante (La Casa de Producción, Tu vas voir Productions) (Guatemala).
-"Magallanes," by Salvador del Solar (Péndulo Films, Tondero Producciones, Cepa Audiovisual S.R.L., Proyectil, Cinemara, Nephilim Producciones, S.L.) (Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Spain).
Premio Platino for Best Film Editing
-César Díaz, for "Ixcanul."
-Eric Williams, for "Magallanes."
-Etienne Boussac, Cristina Gallego, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Jorge Coira, for "Retribution" (El desconocido).
-Pablo Trapero, Alejandro Carrillo Penovi, for "The Clan" (El clan).
Premio Platino for Best Art Direction
-Angélica Perea, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Bruno Duarte, Artur Pinheiro, for "Arabian Nights: Vol.2 - The Desolate One" (As mil e uma noites: Volume 2, O desolado).
-Jesús Bosqued Maté, Pilar Quintana, for "The Bride" (La novia).
-Pilar Peredo, for "Ixcanul."
-Sebastián Orgambide, for "The Clan" (El clan).
Premio Platino for Best Cinematography
-Arnaldo Rodríguez, for "The Memory of Water" (La memoria del agua).
-David Gallego, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-Luis Armando Arteaga, for "Ixcanul."
-Miguel Ángel Amoedo, for "The Bride" (La novia).
-Sergio Armstrong, for "The Club" (El club).
Premio Platino for Best Sound Direction
-Carlos García, Marco Salavarría, for "Embrace of the Serpent" (El abrazo de la serpiente).
-David Machado, Jaime Fernández, Nacho Arenas, for "Retribution" (El desconocido).
-Eduardo Cáceres, Julien Cloquet, for "Ixcanul."
-Federico Esquerro, Santiago Fumagalli, Edson Secco, for "Paulina."
-Vicente D’Elía, Leandro de Loredo, for "The Clan" (El clan).
- 5/27/2016
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
The following contains material from the November 2015 review when the film was presented at the St. Louis International Film Festival.
We often hear people remark about how they’ve got a tune or melody “stuck in their head”. The same thing could be said for certain…magical…memorable films. An image or a sequence can stay in your brain for a long, long while. Embrace Of The Serpent is one such cinematic experience. It’s based on a true story. Oh wait, it’s based on two true stories, linked together by one remarkable man and, perhaps, the most famous, celebrated river in the world, the Amazon. And the man is Karamakate, the last shaman of his jungle tribe. We first meet him in 1940, deep into his sixties as played by Antonio Bolivar, when he encounters a man foreign to his home, an American scientist Richard Evans Schultes (Brionne Davis...
We often hear people remark about how they’ve got a tune or melody “stuck in their head”. The same thing could be said for certain…magical…memorable films. An image or a sequence can stay in your brain for a long, long while. Embrace Of The Serpent is one such cinematic experience. It’s based on a true story. Oh wait, it’s based on two true stories, linked together by one remarkable man and, perhaps, the most famous, celebrated river in the world, the Amazon. And the man is Karamakate, the last shaman of his jungle tribe. We first meet him in 1940, deep into his sixties as played by Antonio Bolivar, when he encounters a man foreign to his home, an American scientist Richard Evans Schultes (Brionne Davis...
- 3/11/2016
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
We often hear people remark about how they’ve got a tune or melody “stuck in their head”. The same thing could be said for certain…magical…memorable films. An image or a sequence can stay in your brain for a long, long while. Embrace Of The Serpent is one such cinematic experience. It’s based on a true story. Oh wait, it’s based on two true stories, linked together by one remarkable man and, perhaps, the most famous, celebrated river in the world, the Amazon. And the man is Karamakate, the last shaman of his jungle tribe. We first meet him in 1940, deep into his sixties as played by Antonio Bolivar, when he encounters a man foreign to his home, an American scientist Richard Evans Schultes (Brionne Davis), who is in search of the healing plant, the yakruna. He had read about it in the diary of another scientist,...
- 11/5/2015
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
From Latin America “Embrace of The Serpent” (“El Abrazo De La Serpiente”) is a coproduction of Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina.
This is a favorite film of mine and is the Colombian contender for Best Foreign Language Oscar nomination by Colombia’s Ciro Guerra whose past film “The Wind Journeys” also captured an existence far from our own reality. This film and the Venezuelan contender “Gone with the River” by Mario Crespo are the first shot in the Amazonian rainforest in over 30 years.
“Embrace of the Serpent” premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the top prize, the Ciace Art Cinema Award. It also screened at the Tiff this September.
It signals a new trend in world cinema, the stories of indigenous people from their particular points of view. While Sundance has been supporting Native Cinema for many years, now world festivals are also featuring them in greater numbers.
Both blistering and poetic, the ravages of colonialism cast a dark shadow over the South American landscape. “Embrace Of The Serpent” is the third feature by Ciro Guerra.
Filmed in stunning black-and-white, the film centers on Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman and the last survivor of his people, and the two scientists who, over the course of 40 years, build a friendship with him.
The film was inspired by the real-life journals of two explorers (Theodor Kock-Grünberg and Richard Evan Schultes) who traveled through the Colombian Amazon during the last century in search of the sacred and difficult-to-find psychedelic Yakruna plant.
The film screens at AFI on November 6 at 6:30 Pm and on November 9 at 1:00 Pm
AFI programmer Landon Zakheim describes the film here:
The shaman Karamakate waits warily by the edge of the river as a German explorer approaches. The stranger seeks the Yakuna, a legendary rare flower that can cure the man of his mysterious sickness. Only the shaman knows its location, hidden deep within the recesses of the Colombian Amazon, but he is distrustful. It is white men who made him the last of his tribe. But the explorer knows of others of his kind, and so a perilous bargain is struck. Shifting between these events in 1909 and 40 years later, when an older Karamakate brings another foreigner on the same journey through a ravaged jungle… Ciro Guerra’s masterful use of monochromatic black-and-white, symbolic landscapes, overwhelming soundscapes and haunting, elliptical editing blend together to elevate ethnographic odyssey into a hypnotic and methodical work of pure cinema.
It will be released stateside by Oscilloscope in New York on Wednesday, February 17 and in Los Angeles on Friday, February 19, with a national rollout to follow.
International Sales Agent Films Boutique has sold to Natyls for Denmark, Diaphana for France, Magyarhangya for Hungary, trigon-film for Switzerland.
Director: Ciro Guerra
Screenwriter: Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde Vidal
Producer: Cristina Gallego
Executive Producer: Cristina Gallego, Raúl Bravo, Marcelo Céspedes, Horacio Mentasti, Esteban Mentasti
Director of Photography: David Gallego
Editor: Cristina Gallego, Etienne Boussac
Production Designer: Angélica Perea
Music: Nascuy Linares
Cast: Jan Bijvoet, Brionne Davis, Nilbio Torres, Antonio Bolívar, Yauenkü Miguee
Colombia | Venezuela | Argentina, 2015
122 min.
Feature
World Cinema Section
A program of the American Film Institute, AFI Fest presented by Audi is a celebration of global cinema and today’s Hollywood. It is an opportunity for master filmmakers and emerging artists to come together with audiences in the movie capital of the world. AFI Fest is the only festival of its stature that is free to the public. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI Fest as a qualifying festival for both Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®.
Connect with AFI Fest at facebook.com/Afifest, twitter.com/Afifest and youtube.com/Afifest.
Free tickets: http://afi.com/afifest/freetickets.aspx...
This is a favorite film of mine and is the Colombian contender for Best Foreign Language Oscar nomination by Colombia’s Ciro Guerra whose past film “The Wind Journeys” also captured an existence far from our own reality. This film and the Venezuelan contender “Gone with the River” by Mario Crespo are the first shot in the Amazonian rainforest in over 30 years.
“Embrace of the Serpent” premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the top prize, the Ciace Art Cinema Award. It also screened at the Tiff this September.
It signals a new trend in world cinema, the stories of indigenous people from their particular points of view. While Sundance has been supporting Native Cinema for many years, now world festivals are also featuring them in greater numbers.
Both blistering and poetic, the ravages of colonialism cast a dark shadow over the South American landscape. “Embrace Of The Serpent” is the third feature by Ciro Guerra.
Filmed in stunning black-and-white, the film centers on Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman and the last survivor of his people, and the two scientists who, over the course of 40 years, build a friendship with him.
The film was inspired by the real-life journals of two explorers (Theodor Kock-Grünberg and Richard Evan Schultes) who traveled through the Colombian Amazon during the last century in search of the sacred and difficult-to-find psychedelic Yakruna plant.
The film screens at AFI on November 6 at 6:30 Pm and on November 9 at 1:00 Pm
AFI programmer Landon Zakheim describes the film here:
The shaman Karamakate waits warily by the edge of the river as a German explorer approaches. The stranger seeks the Yakuna, a legendary rare flower that can cure the man of his mysterious sickness. Only the shaman knows its location, hidden deep within the recesses of the Colombian Amazon, but he is distrustful. It is white men who made him the last of his tribe. But the explorer knows of others of his kind, and so a perilous bargain is struck. Shifting between these events in 1909 and 40 years later, when an older Karamakate brings another foreigner on the same journey through a ravaged jungle… Ciro Guerra’s masterful use of monochromatic black-and-white, symbolic landscapes, overwhelming soundscapes and haunting, elliptical editing blend together to elevate ethnographic odyssey into a hypnotic and methodical work of pure cinema.
It will be released stateside by Oscilloscope in New York on Wednesday, February 17 and in Los Angeles on Friday, February 19, with a national rollout to follow.
International Sales Agent Films Boutique has sold to Natyls for Denmark, Diaphana for France, Magyarhangya for Hungary, trigon-film for Switzerland.
Director: Ciro Guerra
Screenwriter: Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde Vidal
Producer: Cristina Gallego
Executive Producer: Cristina Gallego, Raúl Bravo, Marcelo Céspedes, Horacio Mentasti, Esteban Mentasti
Director of Photography: David Gallego
Editor: Cristina Gallego, Etienne Boussac
Production Designer: Angélica Perea
Music: Nascuy Linares
Cast: Jan Bijvoet, Brionne Davis, Nilbio Torres, Antonio Bolívar, Yauenkü Miguee
Colombia | Venezuela | Argentina, 2015
122 min.
Feature
World Cinema Section
A program of the American Film Institute, AFI Fest presented by Audi is a celebration of global cinema and today’s Hollywood. It is an opportunity for master filmmakers and emerging artists to come together with audiences in the movie capital of the world. AFI Fest is the only festival of its stature that is free to the public. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI Fest as a qualifying festival for both Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®.
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- 10/30/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
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