When Two Worlds Collide out on Friday

It’s been labelled a ‘tense and immersive tour de force’ and also bagged the Special Jury Award for Best Feature at this year’s Sundance Festival, now When Two Worlds Collide, which charts the activities of eco-activists in Peru, is to be released in UK cinemas this Friday.

The news comes from The Film Sales Company, Picturehouse Cinemas and Yachaywasi Films – in association with the Ford Foundation – following its recent release across the Atlantic.

The film, which also received its international premiere at Hot Docs as part of Toronto International Film Festival 2016, as well as its European premiere at the Sheffield Doc/Fest, examines the conflicts that can, and do, arise when the push for modernisation comes at the expense of Mother Nature.

The Peruvian government, led by President Alan Garcia, are keen for their country to become a major player on the world stage. To realise this ambition they must begin to harness the natural resources that exist, such as gas and oil, by whatever means necessary. However, this will encroach on previously untouched indigenous territory in the heart of the Amazon. Tribal leader Alberto Pizango leads the resistance, with the resulting stalemate bringing about serious consequences.

It truly is a dynamic duo directing this movie, with the subject matter key to the majority of their work. When Two Worlds Colllide is Heidi Brandenburg‘s first attempt at a feature-length film, whilst Mathew Orzel is already well-known for focusing on the complexities of human relationships in his documentaries. The two are also co-founders of Yachaywasi Films. Taira Akbar, who worked on the award-winning BBC documentary The Tower, produces, with Carla Gutierrez and H. Scott Salinas, who have both worked on Oscar-nominated films, as editor and composer respectively.

So if you’re not averse to subtitles for the 103-minute running time – the movie is in Spanish – you can find out exactly why it’s been such a roaring success story from September 9 onwards.