Movie: AINBO – Spirit of the Amazon (2021)

Festival Release: Imagina Film Festival of Animation 9 Feb 2021 (Peru)
Public Release: 28 May 2021
Written by José Zelada and Brian Cleveland
Directed by José Zelada and Richard Claus
Starring Lola Raie, Naomi Serrano, Dino Andrade, Bernardo De Paula
Distribution: Cinema Management Group | Produced by Tunche Films and Cool Beans

A Surprise Discovery

Movie nights don’t always go as planned. Me and some friends had one movie in mind but for different reasons it didn’t work out this time. Instead we landed on AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon almost at random. None of us were thrilled but we hit play anyway.

 

We watched the Swedish version on DVD, released by Noble Entertainment and for some reason the original English dub wasn’t included. While the film still worked, we all agreed it would have had a completely different feeling in its original language. Some of the nuances, humor and emotional beats were probably lost or softened, which may made certain scenes feel less impactful than they might have in the original version.

At first it felt like a patchwork of Disney influences: a girl called to go beyond her village (Moana), lead talking to a tree (Pocahontas), plus two goofy spirit guides (The Lion King´s Timon and Pumbaa). We thought we knew exactly where it was going.   

 A very pretty concept art photo of a scene.

Then the film shifted. Suddenly it wasn’t just a fantasy adventure. It became a story about the destruction of the Amazon rain forest and the fight of indigenous people to protect their home. That twist turned the film into something much more powerful.

At first the animation style didn’t grab me. It felt a bit rough compared to big-budget films. But as the movie went on, the characters grew on me, especially Ainbo. Her expressions, movements and energy started to feel natural and charming. The supporting characters and spirit guides also gained personality as the story progressed. By the end, the style felt warm and fitting for the story, matching the heart and passion behind the film.  

 

It was also interesting that the spirit guides were not random animals. Ainbo is guided by Dillo the armadillo and Vaca the tapir, both species found in the Amazon rain forest. This choice makes the magical elements feel connected to the real forest it represents. 

The directors José and César Zelada were inspired by their mother and her hometown in the Peruvian Amazon. Knowing this the passion in the film makes sense. It is rooted in real love for land, culture and people.

The Scary Reality Behind the Story

The Amazon is often called “the lungs of the Earth.” Yet millions of trees are cut down every single day for logging, mining or cattle ranching. In the last 50 years almost 20% of the forest has been destroyed. Scientists warn that if this continues the rain forest could collapse in our lifetime. It would turn into dry savanna, release enormous amounts of carbon and speed up climate change worldwide.

 

 

 

 

AINBO uses myth and magic to tell its story but the real story is already terrifying. The Amazon is burning, it is falling and once it’s gone, there is no bringing it back. That is the message at the heart of this movie. 

8/10 for bringing an alarming topic forward while still telling a good story.