Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon (Spanish: Ainbo: El espíritu del Amazonas; stylized as AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon), also known as simply Ainbo, is a 2021 computer-animated adventure film co-directed by José Zelada and Richard Claus, with story by Zelada. Produced by Tunche Films and Cool Beans, Cinema Management Group oversees worldwide distribution. The plot follows an adventurous girl named Ainbo, who, along with her animal spirit guides, sets out to save her jungle paradise in the Amazon from loggers and miners. The film is noted as an authentic description of the Amazon rainforest folklore.
An international co-production of Peru, the Netherlands and Germany, Ainbo was released in Ukraine on 13 February 2021, followed by the Czech Republic and Italy on Earth Day (22 April). The film was released in France on July 14, 2021, and will be distributed by Signature Entertainment for UK and Rialto Distribution for Australia and New Zealand later on September 16, 2021. Critics noted the film delivers messages and themes centered around ecology.
Plot
In the uncharted civilization of Candámo, hidden in the deepest jungles of Amazon, a 13-year-old girl named Ainbo dreams to be her tribe's best huntress. She is best friends with the chief Huarinka's daughter Zumi, whose family informally adopted Ainbo after her mother's death. However, the day Zumi is going to be crowned new queen of Candámo, Ainbo is shocked to find two animal spirits, armadillo Dillo and tapir Vaca, who claim to be Zumi's spirit guides against the Yacuruna, the mysterious curse that threatens the jungle. Ainbo runs to bring the tribe the news, but the bumbling spirits don't come to her call, making the tribe believe she is lying.
The girls' caretaker Chuni promises Ainbo to tell her about her mother, who was also in contact with spirits, but Chuni is found dead in her bed next day, and Ainbo runs away distraught. Believing Ainbo to be responsible, hunter Atok goes rogues and chases after her. Meanwhile, Ainbo is told by the spirits that she must go on a quest in order to stop the Yacuruna, which she accidentally encounters as a mysterious, western man with sorcerous powers, Cornell DeWitt, who leads a destructive logging and mining company through the rainforest. After another brief encounter with Atok, Ainbo and the spirits finally meet the most powerful mother spirit in the Amazon, turtle Motelo Mama, which reveals to her that her mother's spirit lives in Ainbo's favorite tree. Motelo Mama also redirects her to the next stage in her quest, the giant sloth spirit Pelejo, who will give her a moon rock dagger to wake up the tree.
After a difficult travel to Pelejo's volcano, Ainbo returns to the tribe with the dagger, but she finds there a new trouble. Atok and Zumi met DeWitt, who claimed to be a botanist, and brought him to Candámo after he promised to cure their illnesses and the curse in exchange for the gold found on their lands. Recognizing him as the Yacuruna, Ainbo tries to warn Zumi, but they argue about it and Zumi banishes her from their tribe. Still, Atok witnesses DeWitt brainwashing Zumi and Huarinka with his powers, so he realizes Ainbo was right all along and joins forces with her. The two use the dagger and summon the spirit of Ainbo's mother, Lizeni, who gives them a blessed arrow that can stop the Yacuruna. The girl also learns Atok loved her mother, but she did not reciprocate and he became bitter as a result.
Lizeni stops the mining company and confronts the Yacuruna while he is taking over the tribe, revealing him to be actually an evil spirit possessing a man named Will. The Yacuruna unleash his powers, holds Zumi hostage, and builds a gigantic mechanical scorpion with his company's bulldozers, which he uses to attack Ainbo and Atok. Though insecure due to her lack of talent with the bow, Ainbo finds her confidence with Lizeni's helps and manages to hit the Yacuruna with the arrow, vanquishing the spirit and freeing Will and Zumi. It is revealed Will is Ainbo's father, and after reuniting with his family and receiving from Atok the promise to raise Ainbo, Lizeni and Will depart to the spirit world. Mending their friendship, Ainbo and Zumi promise to lead the tribe to a new future.