Where the River Begins () is a multinational film written and directed by Juan Andrés Arango, scheduled for release in 2027.
Arango cast non-professional actors in the film, which was shot in Colombia in 2025.Callum McLennan, "Colombia's Displaced Communities Take Center Stage in Juan Andrés Arango's 'Where the River Begins'". Variety, 5 December 2025.
It had its world premiere in the Centrepiece section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival.
It was also screened at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival.
It will have its Quebec premiere at the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma on October 10, 2026.
Synopsis 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.
Donde Comienza el Río is a poignant, poetic film where a perilous escape becomes a journey of healing. As the jungle reemerges through memory and dream, masks fall and reality is touched by the magic of Yajaira’s inner world.
Technical specifications
Original title : Donde Comienza el Río Director : Juan Andrés Arango Writer : Juan Andrés Arango Music : Frannie Holder Artistic Direction : Juan Manuel Garcés and Sofía Guzman Costume Director : Luz Helena Cárdenas Photography : Nicolas Canniccioni Sound : Pablo Villegas, Samuel Gagnon-Thibodeau and Joey Simas Editing : Xi Feng Production : Annick Blanc, Maria Gracia Turgeon and Paola Andrea Pérez Nieto Production companies : Midi La Nuit, 12PM, Inercia Películas, STÆR Distribution company : h264 International sales : h264 Format: color Genre : drama
Distribution
Girleza Duave Cerezo : Yajaira Juan David Junca Linares : Jhon Ana Michell Nama Dumaza : Maria
References
External links