About

Two white explorers – a German in 1909 and an American in 1940 – travel to the Colombian Amazon in search of healing plants. Both are helped by the Indigenous shaman and reluctant guide Karamakate. A dream-like, cinematic journey into the jungle, Embrace of the Serpent investigates unwelcomed colonial incursions into Indigenous land and culture. The film features complex, well-rounded characters, particularly Karamakate, who as his younger and older self is the embodiment of a culture facing the unstoppable momentum of change. Shot on 35mm with spectacular black and white cinematography, this hypnotic film captures the majesty of the natural landscape and won the Art Cinema Award in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.