Upcoming movie screenings:

Dates: September 3rd to 6th, 2024
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Sala Carrasco, CCE – Cuenca, Ecuador
Entry Fee: $10 USD
Languages: Spanish and English (with English Subtitles)
Duration: 60-minute Film Screening, followed by a 30-minute Introduction to Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest Products and Q&A session.

Synopsis:

Annatto and Genip: Colors from the Amazon Rainforest explores the natural dyes used by the indigenous peoples of the Ecuadorian Amazon. The film delves into the creation of these colors—the red from achiote (Bixa Orellana) seeds and the blue from genip, known locally as wituk (Genipa Americana).

Meet Pakarina Gualinga, a skilled artist who uses wituk for traditional body painting and has innovated by creating a solid shampoo from this natural ink. Her mother, a master potter, shares the legend of Wituk Warmi and Achiote, two sisters who, according to Kichwa lore, transformed into trees with powerful healing properties.

The documentary also introduces Puka Rinri, Pakarina’s brother, who has inherited their mother’s pottery skills but modernized the craft using advanced techniques. His unique jars are now a staple in the bars and restaurants of Amazonian cities. Additionally, Chelsea, Puka Rinri’s American wife, is developing a natural lipstick made from achiote.

Technical details:

General direction: Daniel Osorio (Production, Direction, Camera, Sound, Post-production)
Starring: Pakarina Gualinga, Amada Santi, Timoteo Gualinga (alias Puka Rinri)
Production company: Astrolabio Producciones.