'Embrace of the Serpent' Sweeps Colombian Academy Awards

The country's Oscar bid won 8 categories, including best film and director.

Ciro Guerra's Amazonian-set Embrace of the Serpent was the big winner at the Macondo Awards, the Colombian version of the Oscars, which were announced Friday night in a gala ceremony at the Tequendama hotel in Bogota.

Colombia's bid for a nomination at the Academy Awards in the best foreign-language film category, Embrace picked up eight awards, including best film and best director. Earlier this year, the pic topped the Director's Fortnight at Cannes and the Mar del Plata film festival in Argentina.

Alejandra Borrero, from Critics' Week entry Gente de bien, grabbed best actress honors, while Cristian James Advincula was named best actor for his performance in Manos sucias, a U.S.-Colombia co-production with Spike Lee as exec producer. 

The Colombian Academy also presented a lifetime achievement award to documentary filmmaker Marta Rodríguez.

The full list of awards follows:

Best editing: Etienne Boussac — Embrace of the Serpent

Best sound design:Marco Salaverria / Carlos García — Embrace of the Serpent

Best original score: Nascuy Linares — Embrace of the Serpent

Best makeup: Olga Turrini — Encerrada

Best art direction: Angélica Perea — Embrace of the Serpent

Best cinematography: David Gallego — Embrace of the Serpent

Best actor in a supporting role: Felipe Botero — Mateo

Best actress in a supporting role: Alma Rodríguez — Dust on the Tongue

Best actor in a leading role: Cristian James Advincula — Manos Sucias

Best actress in a leading role: Alejandra Borrero — Gente de bien

Best screenplay: Ciro Guerra / Jacques Toulemonde — Embrace of the Serpent

Best documentary: Infierno o Paraíso — Filmico.

Best director: Ciro Guerra — Embrace of the Serpent

Best film: Embrace of the Serpent