In coastal Colombia, a mother teaches her daughter how to swim so that she may go to the mangroves and harvest the piangua shellfish with the other women in the village. Produced by Jungles in Paris and Conservation International. 'Dulce' first appeared online on nytimes.com. Special thanks to Kathleen Lingo, Lindsay Crouse, and Andrew Blackwell of New York Times Op-Docs. conservation.org/dulce junglesinparis.com FESTIVALS Sundance 2019 Toronto International Film Festival 2018 IDFA 2018 Palms Springs ShortFest 2018 - WINNER, Best Documentary DOC NYC 2018 Camden International Film Festival 2018 Hamptons International Film Festival 2018 AFI Fest 2018 CREW Directed by Guille Isa & Angello Faccini Produced by Darrell Hartman, Oliver Hartman & Annie Bush Executive Producers: Lee Pace, Anastasia Khoo & Margarita Mora Cinematography: Angello Faccini Editing: Roberto Benavides Sound Mix & Design: Calvin Pia / One Thousand Birds Sound Recording: Yesid Ricardo Vasquez Rubiano, ADSC Color: Sofie Borup / Company3 For more on Dulce's community and the making of the film, go to: nytimes.com/2018/09/18/opinion/colombia-swimming-lesson-mangroves-dulce.html
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In the coastal village of La Ensenada, Colombia, where digging for shellfish is a way of life, everyone must learn to swim eventually — even little Dulce. But as the effects of climate change, marked by swelling tides and shrinking coastlines, begin to threaten the village's livelihood, the carefree swimming lessons led by Dulce's mother take on a sense of urgency.
First seen at NYT Op-Docs, and an official selection of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.
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Helping coastal ecosystems stay afloat
Work is underway to protect Colombia’s Pacific coast and the tremendous biodiversity it harbors. In 2017, then-Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos expanded the reach of the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, already the largest no-fishing zone in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, to include an additional 1.7 million hectares. The underwater topography of this region, marked by numerous caves and tunnels, and a unique convergence of ocean currents combine to attract a menagerie of marine life, including several shark populations and more than 300 species of mollusks.
Additionally, Conservation International has partnered with Fondo Acción, a Colombian nonprofit that specializes in improving living standards in rural communities, to create a conservation fund that will support community-driven conservation efforts along the country’s Pacific coastline. Beyond the 30,000 residents of Afro-Colombian descent, Colombia’s vibrant Pacific coast is home to 80 percent of the region’s humpback whale breeding grounds and many of the nation’s most well-preserved mangrove forests.
“Dulce” was co-directed by Guille Isa and Angello Faccini and produced by filmmakers Jungles in Paris. It was executive produced by actor and activist Lee Pace, and Margarita Mora and Anastasia Khoo on behalf of Conservation International.
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