Embrace of the Serpent

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ciro Guerra directs. David Gallego behind the camera. Nascuy Linares scores. Etienne Boussac cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela. Dialogue in Catalan, German, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 1Shot for just $1.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
• 2Earned back only 94% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
• 3Released 11 years ago.
• 4Dialogue crosses 5 languages: Catalan, German, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish.
• 5International production across 3 countries: Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela.
• 6Directed by Ciro Guerra, shot by David Gallego. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 7Original score by Nascuy Linares. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 8Editor Etienne Boussac shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 9Nilbio Torres and Antonio Bolívar and Jan Bijvoet carry the top of the cast.
• 10Marketing tagline: "A poetic and haunting journey into a lost world.".
• 11IMDB entry: tt4285496 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 12Classified under 15 themes, including "indigenous", "religious conversion", "amazon rainforest", "based on true story".

The technical file

Cinematography

David Gallego

Original score

Nascuy Linares

Editing

Etienne Boussac

Production design

Angélica Perea

Costume design

Catherine Rodríguez

Makeup / hair

Ana María Jauregui

Sound

Carlos García

Runtime

125 min · 2h 5m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Budget

$1,400,000

Box office

$1,320,005

Return

94% of budget

Original language

ES

IMDB

Embrace of the Serpent (2015) ↗

Also by

Ciro Guerra

• 
  Birds of Passage

  2018 · ★ 7.2
• 
  The Wind Journeys

  2009 · ★ 6.9
• 
  Wandering Shadows

  2004 · ★ 6.7
• 
  Green Frontier

  2019 · ★ 6.7
• 
  Waiting for the Barbarians

  2020 · ★ 5.9

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  International Trailer

  Trailer · Official

Community reviews

What people are saying

• Andres Gomez2015-10-23
  ★ 8/10

  Good and complete movie touching several topics at the same time; the destruction through the conquest of the native cultures and knowlege in America and the vital path of 4 different human beings. Ciro Guerra es smart to use black and white and the landscapes of the Amazonas to fill all the silences of the movie. The cast is quite good, specially the 2 actors performing Karamakate; Nibio Torres and Antonio Bolivar.

  Read full review ↓
• Reno2016-07-04
  ★ 8/10

  In any world, the history keeps repeating itself. It is one of the last films to I watch from the 2016 Oscars nominees. It was a Colombian production that represented the country in the 88th American Academy Awards. It had all the qualities to win that major international award, but lost the bet to 'Son of Saul'. In my perspective, after seeing all the five, no doubt, but this film's the real winner. The film was loosely based on the real occurrence that was written in the diaries of two scientists on their expedition into the Amazon's deep in search of something what intrigued the conflict between the two worlds. It portrayed the beautiful Amazon in the black and white pictures and I loved it because, it recreated the world that was over 100 years ago. It would have not affected the viewers same if it was rendered in colour. It is awesome to see a film like this about the Amazon people after a very long time. Because prior to the 80s and 90s, there were plenty of African and South American exploration films made which rapidly reduced its number when comic book films became the frontrunner in the world cinema. So going back to the lost world was really an amazing experience that this film had given to me and you should not miss it as well. It takes place in the first half of the 1900s that breaks into a two part narration. In the first, where a German scientist Theo, looks for a help from the last surviving young man from his tribe, Karamakate, to explore the jungle for the scientific research. In the second, 40 years later, an American scientist, Evans follows a similar kind of quest who once again seeks help from the aged Karamakate. When Karamakate realises their agenda, concerns for the peace and stability in the region, so goes for the measure that has to be taken. "Ants like money. I do not. The taste is bad." It was like lost in translation. During the invasion of the remaining parts of the South America in the Amazon basin on the Colombian side, how the both worlds suffered was the part of this narration and cultural collision was one of the main topics. Most of the film was shot alongside of the rivers Inirida and Varupes, especially the final scene location was so beautiful. The film concept was similar to the 'Anaconda 2', but there's no intense action-thriller, especially there's no fast and aggressive serpents in the act. The scientists are looking for a certain kind of plant which is considered sacred and protected by the Amazon tribes. It was boring in the initial parts, because I did not know what to expect. So I just kept watching as whatever it was focused on. But during the end of the first act, I started to like it. Because it was not as complicated as I thought and it was not the art film like those without the plot and background score. So at the end of my watch, I'm very satisfied. The actors were stunning as the amazing Amazon basin is. Of them all, the 'Borgman' actor was the only familiar face to me. It is a powerful film, with a bit of a documentary style presentation. The main theme was about the history repeating itself. In your lifetime if it repeats means a second chance to divert it from the possible future nuisance. So how the one who cares would reach and solve it is what this film was told. The film characters were brilliant and Karamakate will be remembered. A neatly narrated tale that will remain people's favourite for a very long. One of the films of the 2015 and of the Oscars nominees that nobody must miss it. 8/10

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• NO

  Nortesur Producciones

• BU

  Buffalo Films

  AR

• 

  Caracol Televisión

  CO

• 

  Ciudad Lunar

  CO

• MC

  MC Producciones

• 

  Dago García Producciones

  CO

Key crew

• Executive ProducerRaúl Bravo
• Executive ProducerMarcelo Céspedes
• Production CoordinatorJose David Corredor
• Executive ProducerHori Mentasti
• EditorEtienne Boussac
• CastingGustavo Moyano
• Production DesignAngélica Perea
• ProducerCristina Gallego
• Co-ProducerEsteban Mentasti
• Art DirectionRamses Benjumea
• Art DirectionAngélica Perea
• Set DecorationAlejandro Franco
• Costume DesignCatherine Rodríguez
• Assistant Art DirectorAlirio Cruz
• FoleyNerina Valido
• Sound DesignerCarlos García
• Supervising Sound EditorCarlos García
• Dialogue EditorMarco Salaverría
• Sound RecordistMarco Salaverría
• First Assistant CameraHuver González
• Still PhotographerAndrés Barrientos
• Still PhotographerAndres Cordoba
• Still PhotographerLiliana Merizalde
• Makeup ArtistAna María Jauregui

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• indigenous
• religious conversion
• amazon rainforest
• based on true story
• spirituality
• colonisation
• religious fundamentalism
• nature
• colonialism
• thoughtful
• amazon tribe
• indigenous peoples
• reminiscent
• awestruck
• chamanismo

Release history · US

When it landed

• Premiere2015-09-26· Charlotte Film Festival
• Theatrical (limited)2016-02-17

Also known as

International titles

• L'étreinte du serpentFR
• 梦游亚马逊CN
• O Abraço da SerpenteBR