Between Fire and Water

Camilo is the son of a Quillasinga couple from the indigenous community living around La Cocha lake in southwestern Colombia. Adopted as a baby, he’s now the only Black member of this community. Camilo has been fully assimilated into this society, but he is rebellious and he drinks too much. His mild-mannered parents don’t know what to do. Other people around him are also concerned, and a meeting is called.

Now that Camilo has reached adulthood, he wants to find out more about his background. He seeks advice from his spiritual leader, who gives him permission to explore his roots. An Ayahuasca ceremony helps him along his path. Ultimately, he meets the woman who handed him over to the authorities, and discovers more about his biological mother.

In addition to telling the story of a young man searching for his identity, Between Fire and Water is a remarkable portrait of a loving society with ancient values and rituals.