An Ayahuasca shaman balances hallucinatory rituals and her unusual daily life in this meditative documentary that explores the difference between the idolized shamanic figure and who they really are.
This documentary was entirely self-funded, and is the passion project of a small, dedicated crew. The entire process felt almost like a fever-dream in the Amazon rain forest, with a shaman who, in her words, "could not promise to film on time, because I do not have the same concept of time as you"
There are many incredible ayahuasca documentaries, but lost between a sea of self-healing miracles, and ‘watch-out-you’re-being-scammed-into-taking-a-bad-drug’ exposés, is a whole universe of weird, fascinating gray areas: the lives of the shamans themselves. Who is the person behind the shaman? What is their life actually like? When they’re not in robes and headdresses, what do they… do? So I set out to the jungle with a five-person film crew, and six participants willing to share their intensely personal psychedelic experiences on camera.
The result was a profound glimpse into the strange, dedicated and paradoxical lives of the shamans behind one of nature's most powerful healers. This film is for any and all who are interested in the nuances of nature's offerings, and I'd like to express deep gratitude to Estela Pangoza at Aya Madre Healing Center, for allowing me into her orbit with grace and openness.