Embrace of the Serpent – a ride into the unknown.

Directed by Ciro Guerra this film won the Alfred P Sloan prize and has been on release in UK since June this year. It examines the ravages of colonialism through two explorers who have in fact been adrift with malaise and fever and yet are still clinging to their material goods and finding it hard to keep alive.  Karamatake is a native warrior shaman who has left all material goods behind to become a high tribal member – some natives who try this lose their lives in the jungle and are never re-united with their tribe or family.  Much action is on rapid waters in a small personally driven craft and much is made of the warrior trying to cure the white man of his sickness by blowing herbs through a pipe into his nose.  The two foreign scientists featuring in this all black and white film are depicted as stalwart eccentrics who are clinging to life and still engaged and curious about the tribes who they are mixing with and to the natives’ viewpoint, hopelessly materialistic.

One thing this film is not is easy viewing.  The audience is taken into the story and the adventures and tribulations of each and every one of the cast in the unfathomable (or almost so) Amazon forest which is daunting, beautiful and full of mystery.  Much is made of the rubber trade where some natives try and make a living and get attacked by others for doing so. There seems to always be a dark shadow over the mesmerising Amazonian jungle.

With the magnificent scenery and the tribal dress of the Coihano warriors to contend with I can guarantee you will not be bored. Karamatake is a fascinating character and clearly is the real deal.  The warriors are sleek and athletic whilst the “white men” are portrayed as limp and out of their depths.  To achieve the making of such a fantastic story in difficult forest conditions with a lot of filming on rapids and rivers is great and the film deserves its award.  Included in the cast are Jan Bijvoet, Brionne Davis, Nicolas Cancino, Nilbio Torres and Antonio Bolivar.

Enjoy

Penny Nair Price