For the trees

I missed this film when it played at the Deckchair…
 'Embrace Of The Serpent'. 

Last week I saw a preview at the video library and discovered that they don’t have a copy and probably don’t intend to get one so I took a gift voucher I’d been hoarding and went and bought a copy. Of course when I asked at the store, nobody had heard of it but I persisted with the girl at counter and she went out back with a grunt of disapproval and miraculously came back with what I suppose was the store's token copy. 

Last night Darwin had the biggest rain, it was weird, I couldn’t sleep, I felt like my skin was electrified and my joints were aching… (is this arthritis?)

Image of Theodor Koch-Grunberg and unnamed Pemon Indians (courtesy of Alchertron social encyclopaedia)

After hours of lying restlessly on my designated bed for the night (One of the kids had commandeered my side of, what is technically supposed to be 'my' bed), I got up and grabbed the DVD, ripped off the plastic wrapper, shoved it into my laptop and lay on top of my nominal lie down place.

Actually I felt grateful for the private space. Late at night seems the only time I can relax in peace and quiet, I generally sleep well at night but there’s something precious about the privacy of 3am.

So in the unusually cool air of a monsoonal downpour I set myself up for a journey into the Colombian jungle. The perfect time of day and without the company or distracting presence of other people I submerged myself into this beautiful but ominous tale.

The film is shot in black and white, which before long feels like it would be a relief from the intensity of colour which must exist in such a lush place.

It was an invitation to venture between worlds, glimpsing a world of truth through the distortions of exposure to the material fixations of intruders. The glorious existence of a man who speaks with Gods, in the company men who cannot dream. Blessed the forest, sacred trees, forgotten words to a world of schemes.