Embrace of the Serpent (El Abrazo de la Serpiente) is a critically acclaimed 2015 Colombian film directed by Ciro Guerra. This visually stunning and spiritually profound film explores the Amazon rainforest through the eyes of an indigenous shaman and two Western explorers on separate expeditions decades apart. It is a poetic meditation on colonialism, environmental destruction, and cultural loss.

Plot Overview

The film follows two parallel journeys through the Amazon:

1. The Past (1909) – German ethnobotanist Theodor Koch-Grünberg (Jan Bijvoet) is gravely ill and seeks a sacred healing plant called Yakruna. His guide is Karamakate (Nilbio Torres), a young Amazonian shaman, the last of his tribe, distrustful of Westerners but reluctantly aiding Theo.
2. The Present (1940s) – American scientist Richard Evans Schultes (Brionne Davis) retraces Theo’s journey, hoping to find the same mystical plant. Karamakate, now an older and disillusioned man (Antonio Bolívar), agrees to guide him but struggles with fading memories and cultural identity.

Their parallel expeditions through the stunning yet treacherous Amazon explore physical, spiritual, and historical landscapes, blending myth and reality.

Key Themes and Symbolism

1. Colonialism and Cultural Loss – The explorers represent the disruptive impact of Western colonialism on indigenous cultures.
2. Memory and Identity – Karamakate’s fading memories symbolize the cultural erasure faced by indigenous peoples.
3. Nature and Spirituality – The Amazon is a mystical, living force, embodying the sacred connection between humans and nature.
4. Dual Journeys – The parallel stories reflect transformation, redemption, and the cyclical nature of time.

Cinematography and Visual Style

Shot entirely in stark black-and-white, Embrace of the Serpent highlights the mystical, otherworldly atmosphere of the Amazon jungle. David Gallego’s cinematography emphasizes light, shadow, and the immense, untamed wilderness. The monochrome palette strips away familiar color cues, making the Amazon feel surreal, timeless, and mythic.