189. Birds Of Passage (Pájaros de verano); movie review

BIRDS OF PASSAGE (PAJAROS DE VERANO)
Cert 15
126 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong violence, bloody images, sex

During the last five decades, Columbia has been synonymous with the exporting of drugs at the behest of crime lords.
Indeed, for much of that time,  parts of the country have been so dangerous that it has been a no-go zone.
But how did the violence begin in a beautiful South American country where simple traditions had been the backbone of tribes for centuries?
Birds Of Passage purports to tell the true story of greed, violence, love and just damned bad luck.
Unfortunately, it has stirred up anger from those who say its history is far wide of the mark.
It stars José Acosta as a young man who wants to make his mark with the Wayuu people and marry a girl (Natalia Reyes) whose puberty has just been celebrated.

It becomes a classic case of 'when a butterfly flaps its wings' because her family demand a dowry which is designed to put him off but which he sets about raising by whatever means possible.
He and his friend (Jhon Narváez) come across Peace Corps Americans who want big amounts of cannabis and what seems an insignificant deal to finance goats, cows and necklaces for a pretty girl becomes the trigger for the Columbian drug trade.
The movie is set in chapters which see a progression to wealth and war among the dealers, who also happen to be family.
The fascinating element is how the tradition of tribes is such a strong thread set against this very modern world.
Carmiña Martínez is a matriarch who refuses to yield power to the new set-up and consequently makes fatal errors.
With money and power, expectations become increased and behaviour becomes warped. And, of course, there is the effect of alcohol and drugs.
It all makes for an intoxicating mix in an unusual and intriguing setting.
Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra's film may be violent but it is enthralling. However, it is downgraded in my estimation because of its claim that the Wayuu and Peace Corps sparked the Columbian drugs trade.
It appears it is now widely accepted that the Wayuu couldn't have done because, geographically, they are not from the area depicted in the movie and the Peace Corps simply didn't.

Reasons to watch: True story of how Colombia's drug trade began
Reasons to avoid: Its violence

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? The Wayuu were nowhere near the region of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada where marijuana cultivation began nor were they close to the port cities where it was often transported. They were in the desert far to the north.

The final word. Ciro Guerra: "There are a lot of people who look up to Pablo Escobar, but we felt that this process has really been a tragedy for Colombia. It has been the destruction of the moral basis for our society and we felt that this story gave us the opportunity to offer the other point of view."

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