In the style of an old-fashioned field report, a fictional explorer recounts gold mining along Venezuela’s Orinoco River, from jungle outposts to industrial zones. The film explores the paradoxical bond between humans and nature, with the Moriche palm symbolizing a fragile balance between survival and destruction. Gold diggers live off the land they also harm, trapped in a colonial economic legacy. Immersive footage, hand-drawn images, and abstract visuals blend with a rich soundscape, making the gold truly gleam on screen.

Chris Gude (1985, New York) studied geography and anthropology at Middlebury College. His first film, Mambo Cool (2013), was selected by several international festivals, including FID Marseille, Viennale, Punto de Vista, Mar del Plata, and Cartagena.