The origins of the Colombian drug trade, through the epic story of an indigenous Wayuu family that becomes involved in the booming business of selling marijuana to American youth in the 1970s. When greed, passion and honor collide, a fratricidal war breaks out that will put their lives, their culture and their ancestral traditions at stake.
"Between 2006 and 2007, we moved to the northern coast of Columbia to prepare for our film Los viajes del viento. One of the scenes was taking place during the ‘Bonanza Marimbera’. We did some research, discussing the subject with the locals. We were told a lot of stories we’d never heard before. At the time, we’d thought to ourselves: how is it that no one has ever told this story?" [Cristina Gallego]
"There have indeed been numerous stories about narcotrafficking - so many that it’s become a bit of a cliché. This said, the aptly named ‘Bonanza Marimbera’ [a period of exportation of cannabis to the United States in the 70s and 80s, particularly involving the Guajira desert, where Pájaros de verano was filmed] was, in our opinion, a significant story that hadn’t yet been told. […] For me it’s a film noir, a gangster movie. Yet, it can also be somewhat of a western, a Greek tragedy, and a Gabriel García Marquez-like tale». [Ciro Guerra]
Cristina Gallego (Bogotá 1978), she graduated from Film School at the National University. In 2001, she created the company Ciudad Lunar together with Ciro Guerra, producing all his features. She also worked as a producer for directors such as Pedro Aguilera, Abner Benaim and Annemarie Jacir. She teaches at various film schools and has been invited as a speaker at the United Nations in Geneva. Pájaros de verano is her directing debut.
Ciro Guerra (Río de Oro, 1981). His first two films, La sombra del caminante and Los viajes del viento, were selected in many international film festivals, including Cannes, Toronto, San Sebastian, Rotterdam and Locarno, winning 40 international awards. Both films were chosen as Colombia’s entry for the Oscars and were released commercially in 20 countries. El abrazo del serpiente, his third feature, won the top prize at the Director’s Fortnight in Cannes 2015 and became the first Colombian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Ciro Guerra
2018 Pájaros de verano (Birds of Passage)
2015 El abrazo del serpiente (Embrace of the Serpent)
