125 mins.
Dir: Ciro Guerra
Colombia/Venezuela 2015
Cert 12A
Starring: Nilbio Torres, Jan Bijvoet, Antonio Bolivar
Shot in ravishing black and white in the Colombian Amazon, “Embrace of the Serpent” has at its centre the native shaman Karamakate, the last surviving member of his tribe, who guides two European scientists on a trek to find a rare exotic plant with healing properties. The two expeditions are over 30 years apart, and the effect of the passing of time on the proud Karamakate is more than just physical. The years of destruction wrought by European colonialism have profoundly affected his spirit. A meandering, dreamlike film, which encompasses both a physical and spiritual journey through the breathtaking landscape of the rain-forest, “Embrace of the Serpent” has earned considerable international acclaim.
Download the full show notes here
Reaction Scores
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOa9pjl37Lo?rel=0&w=560&h=315]