Yajaira (Girleza Duave Cerezo) is living on the edge in Bogotá. A young, widowed Indigenous mother, she has fled to the city from her village deep in the jungle due to the presence of paramilitary forces. But in the city, Yajaira faces the threat of more violence, this time from ubiquitous gang activity. When a turf battle takes the life of someone close to her, she decides to return to the jungle with her daughter María (Ana Michell Nama Dumaza). Joining them is Jhon (Juan David Junca Linares), a young gang member with an especially urgent reason to flee…
Juan Andrés Arango’s film is rich in ambience. The bustle, desperation, and decay of the ghetto come through powerfully, as does its alternative: nature in all its implacable beauty. From grime and concrete to the lush, green jungle, Where the River Begins is steeped in the politics of environment. It’s a film to immerse yourself in — a hypnotic, transporting experience.
Community Partner
Ana Michell Nama Dumaza, Girleza Duave Cerezo, Juan David Junca Linares
Canada/Colombia/Norway
2026
In Spanish and Emberá with English subtitles
Coarse language; violence
Open to youth at International Village
At Fifth Ave
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Pierre Even, Elisa Pirir Ruiz, Synestesis, Martín Ramos, Roberto Urbina, Madlove, Natalia Agudelo, AJG, Andrés Jaramillo
Producer
Paola Andrea Pérez Nieto, Annick Blanc, Maria Gracia Turgeon
Screenwriter
Juan Andrés Arango
Cinematography
Nicolas Canniccioni
Editor
Xi Feng
Production Design
Sofía Guzman, Juan Manuel Garcés
Original Music
Frannie Holder
Juan Andrés Arango
Juan Andrés Arango García, born 1976, is a Colombian-Canadian filmmaker known for visually rich, socially engaged cinema. His debut feature La Playa DC (2012) premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, won the Lions Film Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, and was Colombia’s Oscar submission. His second film, X500, premiered at TIFF 2016 and was featured in over 80 festivals worldwide, winning numerous awards and further establishing Arango’s reputation as a compelling storyteller with a unique cinematic voice.
Filmography: La Playa D.C. (2012); X Quinientos (2016), The Seven Last Words (2019)
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