The Wind Journeys
Encyclopedia
The Wind Journeys is a 2009 Colombian
film
, written and directed by Ciro Guerra
. It was filmed in 80 locations in Northern Colombia. The film is spoken in Spanish, Palenquero
, Wayuunaiki
, and Ikun
.
singer from Majagual
, Sucre
, who decides, after his wife's sudden death, to stop playing and return his accordion
, which is said to be curse
d, to his master. He is joined by Fermín Morales (Yull Núñez), a teenage boy who admires Ignacio and wishes to become a juglar
like him. Carrillo reluctantly accepts, given his loneliness. On Ash Wednesday
1968, Carrillo, Morales and their donkey
start a journey throughout several towns in the Caribbean region in Northern Colombia, until Taroa
(a small caserío in Uribia jurisdiction), in La Guajira desert
, where Carrillo's maestro supposedly lives. During their journey, Carrillo participates in the first version of the Vallenato Legend Festival
in Valledupar
.
section of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
Official Selection.
Cinema of Colombia
Colombian Cinema has struggled to develop as a solid industry throughout its history. During the beginning of the 20th century some production companies tried to maintain a level of constant production but lack of government support and a strong international industry ended up diminishing initiative...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, written and directed by Ciro Guerra
Ciro Guerra
Ciro Guerra is a Colombian film director and screenwriter. His film Los viajes del viento competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.-Filmography:* La sombra del caminante...
. It was filmed in 80 locations in Northern Colombia. The film is spoken in Spanish, Palenquero
Palenquero
Palenquero is a Spanish-based creole language spoken in Colombia. Palenquero is the only Spanish-based creole in Latin America. The ethnic group which speaks this Creole consists only of 3,000 people,...
, Wayuunaiki
Wayuu language
The Wayuu language, or Goajiro , is spoken by 305,000 indigenous Wayuu people in northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela on the Guajira Peninsula....
, and Ikun
Arhuaco language
Arhuaco, oommonly known as Ika, is an Indigenous American language of the Chibchan language family, spoken in South America.It has 14,800 speakers, all in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region of Colombia, 90% of whom are monolingual. Literacy is 1 to 5% in their native language. Some speak...
.
Plot
Ignacio Carrillo (Marciano Martínez) is a vallenatoVallenato
Vallenato, along with cumbia, is currently a popular folk music of Colombia. It primarily comes from the Colombia's Caribbean region. Vallenato literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de Perijá in...
singer from Majagual
Majagual
Majagual is a town and municipality located in the Sucre Department, northern Colombia.-References:...
, Sucre
Sucre Department
Sucre is a department in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. The department ranks 27th by area, and it has a population of 772,010, ranking 20th of all the 32 departments of Colombia...
, who decides, after his wife's sudden death, to stop playing and return his accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, which is said to be curse
Curse
A curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to some other entity—one or more persons, a place, or an object...
d, to his master. He is joined by Fermín Morales (Yull Núñez), a teenage boy who admires Ignacio and wishes to become a juglar
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
like him. Carrillo reluctantly accepts, given his loneliness. On Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...
1968, Carrillo, Morales and their donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
start a journey throughout several towns in the Caribbean region in Northern Colombia, until Taroa
Taroa
Taroa, also known as Tarawa, is an island in the east of Maloelap Atoll in the Marshall Islands. During World War II, it was the site of a major Japanese airfield...
(a small caserío in Uribia jurisdiction), in La Guajira desert
La Guajira Desert
La Guajira Desert is located in the northernmost part of Colombia, north of Bogota, in the La Guajira Department, covering most of La Guajira Peninsula including Venezuelan territory. The area holds immense coal reserves, exploited in a zone known as El Cerrejon...
, where Carrillo's maestro supposedly lives. During their journey, Carrillo participates in the first version of the Vallenato Legend Festival
Vallenato Legend Festival
The Vallenato Legend Festival is one of the most important musical festivals in Colombia. The Festival features a vallenato music contests for best interpreter of accordion, caja vallenata and guacharaca, as well as piqueria and best song...
in Valledupar
Valledupar
Valledupar is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department and was founded in 1550 by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Santana. Its name, Valle de Upar , was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; Cacique Upar...
.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Marciano Martínez | Ignacio Carrillo |
| Yull Núñez | Fermín Morales |
| Agustín Nieves | Nine |
| Erminia Martínez | Guajira woman |
| José Luis Torres | Meyo |
| Justo Valdez | Batata |
Participation in festivals
Los viajes del viento was chosen to participate in the Un Certain RegardUn Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
section of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
2009 Cannes Film Festival
The 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 13 to May 24, 2009. French actress Isabelle Huppert was the President of the Jury. It was announced on March 19, 2009, that Pixar's film Up would open the festival...
Official Selection.