Two friends, both actresses (Halt and Catch Fire’s Mackenzie Davis and Masters of Sex’s Caitlin FitzGerald), leave Los Angeles for Big Sur embarking on a weekend getaway to reconnect. Once alone, however, the two women's suppressed jealousies and deep-seated resentments bubble to the surface, causing them to lose grasp not just of the true nature of their relationship, but also of their own identities.
Mackenzie Davis - Anna
Mackenzie currently stars in the critically-acclaimed AMC series “Halt & Catch Fire” opposite Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy and Kerry Bishe. Mackenzie also appeared in Ridley Scott’s THE MARTIAN, Drake Doremus’ BREATHE IN opposite Guy Pearce, Amy Ryan and Felicity Jones; WHAT IF opposite Adam Driver and THAT AWKWARD MOMENT opposite Miles Teller. Mackenzie was born and raised in Vancouver, BC and attended McGill University in Montreal.
Caitlin FitzGerald - Beth
Caitlin currently appears on the Showtime series MASTERS OF SEX, opposite Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan. She just filmed two back to back films: Giancarlo Espositos’ film THIS IS YOUR DEATH opposite, Esposito and Famke Janssen and Chris Sparling's MERCY, opposite James Wolk for Netflix. She will next star opposite Mackenzie Davis in the independent film ALWAYS SHINE, directed by Sophia Takal. Caitlin was last seen in Ross Katz's indie comedy ADULT BEGINNERS opposite Nick Kroll, Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale for producer Mark Duplass.
Caitlin broke out in Universal's IT'S COMPLICATED opposite Meryl Streep & Alec Baldwin. She also appeared in Whit Stillman's DAMSELS IN DISTRESS for Sony Pictures Classics and Ang Lee's TAKING WOODSTOCK for Focus Features.
Jan Bijvoet - Theo
Jan Bijvoet was born in Antwerp in 1966. He has been one of the artistic directors and actors of the Antarctica Theater since 2005. He has also performed in film and television, guest-starring in a number of series. He has starred in the films AD FUNDUM, THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN (Academy® Award nominee), and BORGMAN (Official Selection – Competition, Cannes 2013). In 2007, he was nominated for the Flemish Culture Award of Scenic Arts. Referring to the German explorer who was the inspiration for his character, he reflects that even though Grünberg tried to integrate with the native people, he could not let go of his white spirit. “He had the western way of thinking, and he wanted to carry hundreds of things to study. Love is possession, too. He is also afraid of death. He doesn’t understand why, but it’s because deep down, he is a materialist since his formation, even though he tries to drift away from it.”
Brionne Davis - Evan
Brionne Davis was born in Texas and started acting at a very early age, playing Tom Sawyer. He has starred and taken leading roles in more than 30 independent feature length and short films and television series, including REST STOP: DON’T LOOK BACK (2008), DOROTHY AND THE WITCHES OF OZ (2012), Pandemic (2007), NARCISSIST (2014), SAVAGED (2013), and HOLIDAYS WITH HEATHER (2006). In New York, Brionne starred in the Theatre Row adaptation of Sam Shepard’s “True West.” He has appeared in many theater productions all across the country, including “Wallenburg” at the Soho Playhouse, “A Noble Exile” in Los Angeles and “Nueva York,” a one-man show that he wrote  and produced, inspired by the writings of Tennessee Williams. Davis’ character “Evan” in EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT was inspired by the great botanist and explorer Richard Evans Schultes, and he feels close to him in his love of and search for plants and nature.
Antonio Bolívar Savador - Old Karamakate
Antonio Bolívar Salvador is one of the last survivors of the Ocaina people. He resides near Leticia and has had some previous experiences in filmmaking, but he prefers not to speak about them because he feels that they were disrespectful to his culture. Besides playing one of the main characters, he also served as interpreter for the Tikuna, Cubeo, Huitoto languages and even English, as he became the teacher of the international actors. He represents the best of the Amazonian people: willing to trust foreigners, to transmit their knowledge and thankful to be treated respectfully. That’s the most important aspect of the film to him: “It is a film that shows the Amazon, the lungs of the world, the greater purifying filter and the most valuable of indigenous cultures. That is its greatest achievement.”
Nilbio Torres - Young Karamakate
Nilbio Torres has never set foot in a gym; his amazing physique has been sculpted by the hardships of the jungle and the hard work he’s done since he was little. The 30- year-old has only worked in agriculture and this is his first experience with the cinema. He has a hard time expressing himself in Spanish, as he speaks mostly Cubeo. But he manages to find words to tell what this experience has meant to him. He feels the film is faithful to the story of his ancestors. “What Ciro is doing with this film is an homage to the memory of our elders, in the time before: the way the white men treated the natives, the rubber exploitation. I’ve asked the elders how it was and it is as seen in the film, that’s why we decided to support it. For the elders and myself it is a memory of the ancestors and their knowledge.”
Yauenkü Miguee - Manduca
Yauenkü Miguee was born and raised in Nazareth, a Tikuna community of the Amazon, 26 years ago. He is now a student of physical education in Bogotá and is about to achieve his greatest goal: to become a professional. He defines his participation in the film as a new experience in his life, this time from the field of art and corporal expression, which reinforced his thinking and showed him how to see life from different perspectives. He believes this film should be shared not only with the people of the locations, but all across the country, with all the indigenous peoples in Leticia and the Amazon, with the leaders, in schools and universities. He is the voice of many Manducas, a voice that, far away from the so-called civilization, cries out for a more civilized attitude towards Colombia’s indigenous communities.
Sophia Takal - Director
Sophia Takal wrote, directed and starred in the critically-acclaimed feature film GREEN (SXSW ‘11), which won the SXSW Emerging Female Director award, was nominated for a Gotham Award and is distributed by Factory 25.
Sophia produced and starred in Lawrence Michael Levine’s, WILD CANARIES (SXSW ‘14), opposite Alia Shawkat, Jason Ritter and Kevin Corrigan. WILD CANARIES is distributed by IFC Films. She also produced, edited and starred in Levine’s GABI ON THE ROOF IN JULY opposite Kate Lyn Sheil, Amy Seimetz and Lena Dunham.
Other acting credits include Ti West’s V/H/S; Joe Swanberg’s ALL THE LIGHT IN THE SKY; Michael Bilandic’s HELLAWARE; Dan Schechter’s SUPPORTING CHARACTERS and John Slattery’s GOD'S POCKET.
Takal attended Vassar College and graduated with a BA in Film Studies from Barnard College.
Lawrence Michael Levine - Writer / Producer
Lawrence's past films include WILD CANARIES (SXSW '14) distributed by IFC Films, GABI ON THE ROOF IN JULY and TERRITORY. He produced and starred in Sophia Takal’s GREEN (SXSW '11) and produced Jay DiPietro's PETER & VANDY (Sundance '09). Levine also acted in V/H/S/2, Joe Swanberg's THE ZONE and Onur Tukel's RICHARD'S WEDDING.
Mark Schwartzbard - Cinematographer
Mark Schwartzbard studied film at Ithaca College, then moved to New York and spent a decade working as a camera assistant on films including Woody Allen’s HOLLYWOOD ENDING, and Martin Scorsese’s THE DEPARTED, as well as LITTLE CHILDREN, RENT, HITCH, POLLOCK, and, the most fun of all, BORAT, which led to work as a camera operator on director Larry Charles’ next few projects, including RELIGULOUS and BRÜNO.
As DP, Mark has shot fourteen narrative feature films including Sophia Takal's ALWAYS SHINE, Demetri Martin's DEAN, Lawrence Michael Levine’s WILD CANARIES and Rick Alverson’s THE COMEDY. He recently shot Aziz Ansari's Netflix series "Master of None," and the Showtime series “La La Land.”
Zach Clark - Editor
Zach Clark is the writer, director, and editor of MODERN LOVE IS AUTOMATIC, VACATION!, WHITE REINDEER, and LITTLE SISTER. Additional credits as editor includes Kris Swanberg's UNEXPECTED and Caroline Golum's A FEAST OF MAN. His work has screened across the world at festivals including Sundance, SXSW, BAMcinemaFest, Outfest, Edinburgh, and Stockholm. He currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.
