Desert Seed, a Colombian Film at Tallinn's Black Nights

“Desert Seed,” a Colombian film at Tallinn’s Black Nights Festival, portrays the realities faced by youth through a mix of fiction.

The world premiere of “Desert Seed” will take place on November 18 at the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn, Estonia. This Colombian production is a coming-of-age drama with personal elements, addressing the harsh realities of La Guajira. It follows a young couple forced into gasoline smuggling to cover the costs of an abortion.

This debut film by Sebastián Parra is part of the official selection of the festival, held every November, coinciding with the “dark nights” of the Baltic winter, from which the festival gets its name. The festival serves as a bridge between Western and Eastern cinema through its diverse program.

Set in the desert of La Guajira, the story revolves around Chelina and Caviche, a young couple who, out of fear of a violent father, decide to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Lacking the money for the abortion, they turn to gasoline smuggling, exposing themselves to a ruthless environment and an aggressive black market. Much of the cast consists of non-professional actors, including the two leads, Yornexzi María Ibarra Peña and Sebastián Elí Damián Moya.

The Tallinn Festival notes that this feature film “highlights the current trend in Latin American cinema of presenting contemporary stories, blending genres, and exposing persistent social realities within a fantasy framework, without being confined to classic urban drama.” The film’s storyline also addresses the timeless question of whether love can overcome any obstacle.

Regarding the film’s themes, Sebastián Parra sees his film as a “portrait of real and painful issues like lost innocence, disillusioned youth, and the lack of opportunities in an arid landscape.” He considers it “crucial to show that the challenges faced 50 years ago are still present today.” The selection at this event gives him a boost to “continue sharing authentic stories from our communities, reimagined through timeless fiction.” Parra drew from his own childhood experiences in La Guajira, aiming to “evoke memories of friends who were pushed prematurely into adulthood, facing challenging realities that contrasted with the innocence and fragility of my own fortunate childhood.”

Who is Sebastián Parra?

Sebastián Parra is a Colombian director and screenwriter who served as the second assistant director on “Killing Klaus Kinski” by Spiros Stathoulopoulos and “Amazonas,” a project consisting of six shorts led by Colombian filmmakers Jorge Navas, Carlos Moreno, Spiros Stathoulopoulos, María Gamboa, Javier Mejía, Lucas and Matías Maldonado.

The Awards of the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn (Estonia)

Since “Desert Seed” is selected for the Official Competition, it will compete for the “Grand Prize for Best Film,” which comes with a €20,000 grant from the city of Tallinn, and the “Best Director Award,” with a €5,000 grant, sponsored by Alexela.

The festival will take place from November 8 to 24, and the film is expected to be released in Colombian theaters in 2025. Notably, this Colombian production is the only Latin American film in the official selection's competition.

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