UCR "Embraced" the Serpent

SAN BERNARDINO >> Raw, original, and painfully poetic, the Colombian film “Embrace of the Serpent” directed by Ciro Guerra was open for screening at the University of California Riverside (UCR) ArtsBlock from April 22nd to 23rd. Patrons sat in a modestly sized screening room as the film started promptly at 7 p.m. The lights dimmed as the movie began to play. English subtitles appeared on the bottom of the screen as the introduction rolled. “El Abrazo de la Serpiente”, or “Embrace of the Serpent,” is a stunning piece of cinematography that unrelentingly took viewers on a journey through the Amazonian forest. The movie follows the story of an Amazonian shaman (Nilbio Torres) and his two encounters with foreign researchers: a disease-stricken German scientist (Jan Bijvoet) with his local assistant (Miguel Dionisio Ramos) and an American ethnobotanist (Brionne Davis). As both parties travel in order to find a sacred plant, the movie reveals the deep, painful history of Amazonian indigenous people. Rubber plantation and slavery, violent forms of religious conversion, and the genocide of tribes - this movie was not for the faint of heart. “It was violent, but it was real.” Damini Bhana, 3rd year UCR student, said. “These things actually happened to [Amazonian tribes] and I think it’s a good movie for anyone who wants to learn more about what history books don’t tell you.” The 2015 film won numerous accolades for its rich production and storytelling, earning the Art Cinema Award at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. The film also achieved high critical acclaim from various outlets, with The Guardian rating the film 5/5 stars and a percentage of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. Currently, “Embrace of the Serpent” is the first Colombian film to be nominated for “best Foreign Language Film” in the 2016 Academy Awards. Although the screenings for this film are over, the film’s website offers a pre-order of the movie for $14.99. The UCR ArtsBlock also features different screenings for various movies throughout the year. Dreamlike and profoundly rich, “Embrace of the Serpent” is a movie that should not be missed.