Karuara, People of the River
Miguel Araoz and Stephanie Boyd, Peru and Canada, 2024, 1h17m
Producers: Leonardo Tello Imaina, Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari and Stephanie Boyd
In Spanish and Aboriginal, with English subtitles
Winner, WACC-SIGNIS Human Rights Award 2025
Saturday 8 November 2025 – 12:00 PM
Innis Town Hall Theatre
2 Sussex Avenue Toronto, ON M5S 1J5
Mari Luz Canaquiri says her river is the “ɨa” – the center, life force, and mother. Her river, deep in Peru’s Amazon, provides fish to eat, a transport route, and a place to swim and relax. But it is also more. Underneath the surface live the Karuara, which means “people of the river”.
The Karuara live in a parallel universe, underwater, and visit their human cousins in dreams. They lounge in hammocks made of boa constrictors, smoke sardines, and wear crayfish watches, stingray hats, and catfish shoes. Behind their playfulness, the Karuara are powerful spirits with healing powers and excellent knowledge.
But the Karuara and the old ways are in danger of being forgotten!
Miguel Araoz
Miguel Araoz is a Peruvian visual artist whose work blends Indigenous Amazonian themes with contemporary storytelling. He has led painting workshops in Kukama communities and co-directed Karuara, utilizing hundreds of community-created artworks.
Stephanie Boyd
Stephanie Boyd is a Canadian filmmaker based in Peru since 1997. Her award-winning documentaries focus on Indigenous rights and community collaboration. For Karuara, she worked closely with Kukama women and local media to co-direct the film.
