SHIRINGA: AMAZON WHITE GOLD, 9min., Canada
Directed by Oscar Akamine, Joseph Neyra
Jorge Escompani is a “Shiringa” master, “Shiringa” is a tree which produces natural latex. This is considered a tradition that preserves great passion and environmental awareness. The extraction of latex from the Shiringa three led to the death of thousands of indigenous people due to slavery during “the fever of latex” in the 19th century.

Get to know the filmmaker:
My friend Joseph Neyra, who told me about this place in Iberia, Peru. Where was the “maestro” Jorge Escompani, who was one of the few artisan extractors of natural latex. And between the two of us we decided to make this documentary in the midst of a pandemic, traveling by plane to the jungle and then in a small bus with the windows almost closed at more than 28 degrees Celsius for 4-5 hours. The motivation, although it sounds crazy, was to venture, witness, and record something that is so deep that it is almost magical. I have always had this feeling that the best secrets are found in the depths of any person, in this case in the depths of my country.

You can sign up for the 7 day free trial at www.wildsound.ca (available on your streaming services and APPS). There is a DAILY film festival to watch, plus a selection of award winning films on the platform. Then it’s only $3.99 per month.

Subscribe to the podcast via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook