Spotlight on Brazil III
February: Spotlight on Brazil III, FLMTQ Releases 279-281
During the month of February Filmatique presents Spotlight on Brazil III, a collection of films from some of the most exciting voices in contemporary Brazilian cinema.
Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles's Bacurau imagines an alternative future in which a small town in the Brazilian backcountry is under siege, leading to the uprising of its denizens. Roberta Marques's Rânia offers an evocative portrait of female adolescence in the slums of Fortaleza, while Maíra Bühler and Matias Mariani's I Touched All Your Stuff weaves a beguiling exploration of fact and fiction within a prison on the outskirts of São Paulo.
Foregrounding narratives of female fortitude, Filmatique's Spotlight on Brazil III series explores themes of class, community, and fantasy within the rich tapestry of Brazilian culture.
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Bacurau, Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles (2019)
Bacurau, Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles / Brazil-France, 2019
In the near-distant future, a small village in the Brazilian sertão mourns the loss of its matriarch. Soon thereafter, the town's inhabitants notice that they have been assigned to virtual oblivion—Bacurau no longer exists on any online maps. Even stranger, a large drone hovers overhead, ambiguous but threatening. When a band of mercenaries arrives intent on driving them from their homes, the grit and resolve of this tiny community is put to the test.
Steeped in the aesthetics of realism and with the twists of a dystopian thriller, Bacurau is a potent political allegory. The first directorial collaboration between Kleber Mendonça Filho (Aquarius, Neighboring Sounds) and his frequent production designer Juliano Dornelles premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, AFI Fest, New York Film Festival, and Cannes, where it won the Jury Prize. Bacurau is a New York Times Critics’ Pick.
Rânia, Roberta Marques (2011)
Rânia, Roberta Marques / Brazil, 2011
Rânia lives with her mother in the slums of Fortaleza, in northeastern Brazil. Though she dreams of being a dancer, she has to work hard to survive—after school she juggles multiple jobs, including at a beachside bar. A chance encounter with Estela, a choreographer who selects her to join an international dance company, gives Rânia the very first glimpse at the possibility of realizing her dreams.
A dreamy, evocative portrait of female adolescence, Rânia delves into the quotidian rhythms of life at the margins of Brazilian society. Roberta Marques's first film premiered at IFFR - International Film Festival Rotterdam, Cine Ceará, where it won Best Actress, and Lume International Film Festival, where it won a Jury Award - Special Mention.
I Touched All Your Stuff, Maíra Bühler & Matias Mariani (2014)