Pájaros de verano

The north of Colombia in the late 1960s. During a village ceremony on an expanse of desert, Rapayet is captivated by the beautiful Zaida. But in order to marry her, he needs a large dowry. In the first 20 minutes, Pájaros de verano/Birds of Passage seems to be building up to a calm drama about the centuries-old family traditions of the Waayu people. But this is only half the story in this Colombian submission for the Oscars.

While the elderly women continue to pursue their mystic rituals, Rapayet and members of a friendly family see an opportunity to earn money by smuggling and selling large consignments of marijuana. And with the drugs and the money, comes the violence. In five breathtakingly shot chapters, and traditional Colombia changes into an arena of drugs, greed, revenge and blood. This makes Pájaros de verano a portrayal of the start of the Escobar era.