On Monday, April 18, at McMenamins Theater at 5:30pm, BendFilm will present the first in a new series of programs entitled In Case You Missed It… This series will feature films that were part of last year’s festival that have been getting rave reviews.
EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT won 16 international awards, including one at Cannes, and 12 nominations, including an Oscar nomination for the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year. And at the popular Rotten Tomatoes website, it gets 99% on their Tomatometer!
EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT (d. Ciro Guerra,Columbia, 2016, 125 min) centers on an Amazonian shaman, the last survivor of his people, and two scientists who are searching the Columbian Amazon for a sacred, psychedelic healing plant that attaches itself to rubber trees. Based on the real-life journals of an American biologist, Richard Evans Shultes, who is revered as the father of modern ethnobotany, and the German ethnologist and explorer, Theodor Koch-Grünberg, the film takes us through the real-life ravages of colonial exploitation by ruthless rubber barons. The film is part documentary and part poetry. And it is gorgeous. Shot along the border of Columbia and Brazil, the intrepid film crew had to contend with snakes in the water, and the likelihood of contracting horrible diseases. It is also shot in black and white, a surprising choice for a film set in a tropical rainforest, but it works by giving the jungle textures and depth that color film hides.
When: Monday, April 18 @ 5:30pm. Doors open at 5:00pm
Where: McMenamins Old St. Francis Theater.
Tickets: $11 for general public / $8 for BendFilm Members. Available now at bendfilm.org
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=4ff7TcnqHUc
About BendFilm:
BendFilm hosts an annual independent film festival as well as year-round film exhibitions and programs. The organization is designed to support and nourish filmmakers and enrich the cultural life of Central Oregon while also providing an economic benefit to the region. Celebrating its 13th year, BendFilm is proud to bring diverse voices and visions to the Bend community. The BendFilm Festival runs every October in downtown Bend, Oregon, at The Oxford, McMenamins – Old St. Francis, Regal Cinemas, Tin Pan Theater, The Volcanic Theater, Cascades Theatrical Company, and the historic Tower Theatre. Make plans now to attend October 6-9, 2016, for four days of inspiring independent cinema, panels and parties, in beautiful Bend, a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, foodies, beer lovers and stunning natural scenery. BendFilm is made possible by a dedicated crew of volunteers and generous sponsors. For more information, call (541) 388-3378 or visit www.bendfilm.org.