THE STORY – Yajaira, a young but strong Embera woman, lives with her daughter Maria in a violent Bogotá neighborhood. Haunted by dreams of the jungle, she longs to return to the village she once called home. After a tragedy strikes, they have no choice but to leave. Jhon, a charismatic young gang member, joins them on their dangerous journey to the Andágueda River, driven by motives he keeps hidden.
THE CAST – Girleza Duave Cerezo, Juan David Junca Linares & Ana Michell Nama Dumaza
THE TEAM – Juan Andrés Arango (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 102 Minutes
Juan Andrés Arango’s “Where the River Begins” opens with a young Emberá child sitting in the water, watching her village in the Chocó rainforest be reduced to ashes. The emotionally charged image sets the stage for Arango’s third feature, marking the Colombian-Canadian filmmaker’s return to the Toronto International Film Festival and promising to be his most stirring film yet. When Arango pulls audiences into the chaos and serenity that comprise Colombia, “Where the River Begins” thrives; unfortunately, its subdued nature might be too slight for most to fully invest in what’s supposed to be a touching exploration of finding a way forward.
Over an undisclosed period, the film shows a grown Yajaira, played by Girleza Duave Cerezo, living in Bogotá, displaced like many other members of the Emberá, an indigenous group native to the region. Yajaira tries to build a life for herself and her young daughter, Maria, in the city by selling handmade jewelry. It’s a tough upbringing for Yajaira’s family as rising gang violence and instability amongst the Emberá elders amplify her desire to find the remnants of her village. After a tragedy strikes too close to home, Yajaira packs everything up, including a frightened young gangster, Jhon, played by Juan David Junca Linares, and embarks on a journey to the forests of Chocó to make a new life for them.
Arango’s screenplay frames Yajaira’s journey as a story of discovering solace through the viewpoint of this found family. Yajaira and Jhon, both young adults navigating inner strife, mirror one another, desperate that their attempt at finding a home will fix their trauma, both caused by the violence in the country. They hesitate early on, especially about Jhon’s ability to help care for young Maria, played by Ana Michell Nama Dumaza. At the same time, this conflict gives “Where the River Begins” narrative propulsion, but Arango’s direction all but neuters it.
His naturalistic style reads more as something to be brandished than wholly relished. This style, found in his other work, is especially reinforced by an ensemble made up entirely of non-professional actors from the region. While Arango’s decision to cast non-actors adds to the rich texture of “Where the River Begins,” it’s ultimately the film’s biggest crutch. Multiple scenes lack emotional heft because the performances never rise above being merely satisfactory for the story being told. Cerezo delivers a solid performance, but aside from a sequence where she interjects among the elders of her community, there’s little behind the words being spoken. In Cerezo’s defense, it’s not just her; Linares also struggles, especially in the film’s emotional climax.
Arango’s direction doesn’t do much to heighten the performances, which is a shame given the superb technical work he displays here. He assembles a more-than-capable crew of artists to bring his visually dazzling story to life. Nicolas Canniccioni’s cinematography stands out as one of the best aspects of “When the River Begins.” Audiences get lost in these labyrinthine long takes as Yajaira navigates the halls where the Emberá community has transformed into their temporary home. These moments are often balanced by the film’s incredibly long static shots of characters commuting on public transportation, sitting on the side of the street trying to sell goods, or taking in their surroundings. Canniccioni’s eye adds another layer of immersion as audiences find themselves absorbed by the gorgeous greenery of the jungle and cityscapes that often feel claustrophobic.
It also helps that Xi Feng’s editing is tight enough, yet while it shapes an already simplistic screenplay, the innately languid pacing feels almost inescapable, especially in the vein of what Arango is trying to conceive here. Obviously, Arango tells this incredibly personal story with the right amount of care, but it doesn’t have the intended effect he’s hoping for on viewers who sit down to see it. It’s gorgeously captured, but too restrained to have a profound effect on the audience. “Where the River Begins” is, at its best, a mood piece where the film’s visual poetry guides audiences on a quest that can be meditative at times. Arango’s latest may be his most effective, but even then it’s not enough.
