Indigenous Eco-Thriller 'The Cry of Serankwa' Secures Latin American Distribution Deal

Cineplex has bought the rights for Colombia and the rest of Latin America to 'The Cry of Serankwa', an Indigenous eco-thriller directed by Yull Núnez. The second feature film aims to match the scale of large-scale Colombian productions like Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra's 2018 film 'Birds of Passage'.

Awards and Production

The film won three industry prizes at the Santiago Film Festival, known as Sanfic, where it competed in the WIP Iberoamericana section. Elba McAllister from Cineplex stated that the company connected strongly with the story, which shows the sacred territories of Colombia's Iku, Wiwa, Kogui and Kankwamo communities in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Much of the film uses the Iku language. The story follows two Iku friends, Marcelo and Aníbal, who train to become spiritual leaders called Mamus to protect Mother Earth from mining companies. After failing to become a Mamu, Aníbal moves to the city and returns years later as a mining firm engineer, creating conflict with Marcelo. Director Yull Núnez began writing the script in 2017, drawing on childhood visits to the community with his father. Filming took place over 40 days in the remote village of Nabuzimake.

Context

Distribution deals secured at industry festivals help independent and regional films reach wider commercial audiences across national borders. The project received support from various groups, including Colombia's Film Development Fund and the Manos Visibles Foundation.