Majestic and thought-provoking, Embrace of the Serpent presents a vivid vision of a lost world, and is touching in its closing dedication to ‘peoples whose song we will never know.’
The film is flawed, just slightly, by a touch of overt sci-fi fantasy at the end, but what a gripping and absorbing piece of work.
Complex and thought-provoking.
The film leaves you in little doubt which society is the less civilised.
Colombian director Ciro Guerra’s transcendent adventure takes us on a dreamlike journey to the Amazon, guided by a charismatic shaman.
There is no lack of writers or filmmakers reckoning with Europe’s colonial past, and The Embrace of the Serpent is a valuable addition to the tradition of the indigenous gaze.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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