EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT
EL ABRAZO DE LA SERPIENTE
The encounter, apparent betrayal and finally life-affirming friendship between an Amazonian shaman (the last survivor of his people) and two foreign scientists.
EL ABRAZO DE LA SERPIENTE
Karamakate (Nilbio Torres and Antonio Bolivar) is a Shaman who lives by himself in an ultra-remote corner of the Amazon, since his tribe has been wiped out by white rubber barons.
One day a canoe approaches the young Karamakate carrying a German anthropologist, Theo (Jan Bijvoet), who is mortally ill, and his loyal traveling companion, a one-time Amazonian slave named Manduca (Yauenku Migue).
Shot in stunningly effective black-and-white, which gives it an old-time documentary look, the film captures the grandeur of the rainforest and the earthiness of Karamakate's world. Spirituality is central to that world, and he has all sorts of mind-bending herbs (and philosophies) at his disposal.
This is gripping, challenging, engrossing, from beginning to end. A seriously good film!