Colombia’s ‘Embrace of the Serpent,’ (El Abrazo de la Serpiente), which tells of two mysterious trips deep into the Colombian Amazon, was nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film on Thursday (January 14) morning.
It is the first time Colombia has been nominated in this category.
The film’s director, Ciro Guerra, said the nomination was unexpected.
“Honestly it is something you can’t imagine (Oscar nomination). What we do know is that when you take these risks and these characteristics, films become special. They become unique and that draws the attention of many viewers around the world. But to already think about something like the Oscar or even to take part in Cannes (film festival) go beyond expectations. It makes ones feel that the film has something special put in by the team working on it with the participation of indigenous communities,” Guerra said.
The film – shot entirely in black and white – follows the stories of two separate expeditions which took place between the turn of the 20th century and the 1940s, in the search for a mythical plant deep in the Amazon.
In the film, foreign explorers Theodor Koch-Grunberg and American Richard Evan Schultes journey into the jungle in different eras accompanied by an indigenous shaman, played at different ages by Antonio Bolivar and Nilbio Torres.
Cristina Gallego, who produced the film described it as an “amazing” cinematographic feat.
“A very strong film, amazing cinematography, incredible sound, music, are things the international media have greatly valued and to be able to talk about these indigenous cultures and to speak at a time when the world is wondering about preservation is something important,” said Gallego.
Along the journey, timelines seem to overlap and the two worlds of colonialism and traditional cultures begin to clash.
The Oscar winners will be announced at the 88th Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by comedian Chris Rock in Hollywood on Feb. 28. (Reuters)