Top Brazilian Films of All Time

The inspiration to make this list came after reading Filipe Furtado’s list of 10 Great Brazilian films.

These words by Filipe ring true with a slight change that UK can be replaced by majority of countries in the world: “Like many important filmographies of the global south, Brazilian cinema doesn’t circulate much in the UK, which can make the prospect of discovering it even more daunting.”

I have only seen 6 of 10 films in Filipe’s list but more telling is that I haven’t even heard of the remaining 4 films or seen any references to them in any film articles or books previously. Beyond these 4 films, there are numerous more worthy Brazilian films to be seen. That being said, I have decided to list my Top 10 knowing full well that this list will change over the years once I am able to see more vital Brazilian films.

Top 10 Brazilian Films

1. Black God, White Devil (1964, Glauber Rocha)
2. Limite (1931, Mario Peixoto)
3. Cabra Marcado para Morrer / Twenty Years Later (1984, Eduardo Coutinho)
4. Vidas Secas / Barren Lives (1963, Nelson Pereira dos Santos)
5. Pixote (1980, Hector Babenco)
6. Terra em Transe / Entranced Earth (1967, Glauber Rocha)
7. Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures (2005, Marcelo Gomes)
8. Neigboring Sounds (2012, Kleber Mendonça Filho)
9. A Febre / The Fever (2019, Maya Da-Rin)
10. Noite Vazia / Men and Women (1964, Walter Hugo Khouri)

Honourable Mentions (10 more films):

Barravento (1962, Glauber Rocha)
The House of Sand (2005, Andrucha Waddington)
O Padre e a Moça / The Priest and the Girl (1965, Joaquim Pedro de Andrade)
Central Station (1998, Walter Salles)
City of God (2002, Fernando Meirelles/Kátia Lund)
Carandiru (2003, Hector Babenco)
The Middle of the World (2003, Vicente Amorim)
Avenida Brasília Formosa (2010, Gabriel Mascaro)
O Pagador de Promessas / The Given Word (1962, Anselmo Duarte)
The Conspirators (1972, Joaquim Pedro de Andrade)

The Films of Joaquim Pedro de Andrade

A director spotlight can provide a focused ways to look at films. One can focus on certain signposts that identify the auteurial qualities of a director or one can discover a director’s diverse range. The latter is the case when watching the films of Joaquim Pedro de Andrade as part of an excellent Kino Lorber Blu-Ray package.

Prior to watching these films I had associated Joaquim Pedro de Andrade’s name with the deliriously creative and shape-shifting Macunaima (1969). That is why it is a real surprise to see Joaquim Pedro de Andrade’s range features a contemplative black and white film, engaging documentaries, a telenovela type of film and fiercely political films. The end result is a rich cinematic buffet to devour.

Cinema Novo

Joaquim Pedro de Andrade is a prominent director of Brazil’s Cinema Novo and as per this Indie Film Hustle article, his films would be classified under Phases 2 and 3. He made his fictional debut with O Padre e a Moça (The Priest and the Girl, 1965), a film that stands at an opposite end of the spectrum from Macunaima in style, story and rhythm. Macunaima dazzles with over-the-top colour and scenarios which rapidly shift gears from myth, folklore, societal and cultural commentary to intense politics. On the other end of the spectrum is The Priest and the Girl, a black and white film that is realistic and has a much more contemplative rhythm than that of the rapid pace of Joaquim Pedro’s other films. In addition, the film’s title and topic evokes Bresson while the town setting feels similar to the parched landscape of Glauber Rocha's films. Other than seeing Joaquim Pedro de Andrade’s name in the credits, there is no clue that The Priest and the Girl and Macunaima are directed by the same person.

The other Joaquim Pedro films bring an equal amount of surprise as well. His first directed feature,  Garrincha: Joy of the People (1963), is a footage driven ode to Garrincha, one of the greatest soccer players to have ever graced the beautiful game. The short film Brasilia: Contradictions of a New City (1967) is an insightful newsreel short film that introduces the many head shaking contradictions of Brasilia. Then there is Conjugal Warfare (1975) which is a sex comedy that takes the essence of a telenovela/soap opera. This film feels at odds with the rest of Joaquim Pedro’s works in terms of execution, style and even topic. The Conspirators (1972) is a deeply layered political period film that details some of the complex debates, side deals, and negotiations that took as part of the Minas Gerais Conspiracy (1788-1789). Joaquim Pedro's final film, The Brazilwood Man (1982), is a playful film that challenges conventional film form and structure by using two actors (male, female) simultaneously to depict the masculine-feminine sides of Oswald de Andrade.

All the films in this Blu-Ray package are different and highlight why people make films. Sometimes, some directors have a burning desire to tell a story and sometimes, their hand is forced by financial realities which takes them in a different direction.

Other Reading

Olaf Möller in Film Comment

Cinema of Cannibalism

Cinema Novo

Another Cinema Novo reference 

The Films of Maya Da-Rin

Margem (Margin, 2007, Brazil/Colombia/Peru, Documentary)
Terras (Lands, 2009, Brazil, Documentary)
A Febre (The Fever, 2019, Brazil/France/Germany)

Fluid Borders

Margem/Margin (Maya Da-Rin)

The examination of borders is a theme in all three of Maya Da-Rin’s films yet the borders aren’t defined by fixed walls or markers. Instead, they are fluid borders where it is hard to tell where one border ends and another begins. In both Lands and Margin, the boats traveling on the Amazon river cross from Brazil to Peru or to Colombia without any actual border crossing or any markers. The locals points to the direction on land where a new country begins but in the river, it is hard to tell where one nation's border ends and another starts. 

In The Fever, it is the border between city/jungle and dreams/reality that is examined. At certain points in the film, there is a chain link fence that stands between the urban centre and the jungle but in many other parts of the city, this border is nonexistent. And as the film goes along, it is hard to determine if there is any separation between dreams and reality as the two realms feed into each other.

Transporting of goods

In the two documentaries, one can see the essential everyday items (food, goods) being transported in the boats. These items are on full display in the boats so locals can see them from afar and even hold the items. In addition, the locals can engage in trading if something catches their eye.

However, in The Fever, the goods are secured inside gigantic shipping containers. They come from faraway lands and their identity is well hidden. The good may be parts for industries as per Justino (Regis Myrupu). We never get to see what lies in these containers but instead observe the complex machinery at ports which load/unload these endless ocean of containers.

Globalization

The impact of globalization on local villages and people’s lives is clearly on display in all three films. In Lands and Margin, locals talk about leaving their nation to find better jobs on the other side of the border. This same need to earn a better living plays a big part in Justino’s decision to leave the forest and move to Manaus in The Fever. Manaus is surrounded by the Amazon rainforest and we can see how the city is encroaching on a daily basis further into the rainforest. However, in its own way, nature fights back. There are reports of attacks on the locals from a mysterious creature which has likely come from the jungle. The bigger fightback from nature is the fever that Justino gets. The fever is a reference to humans destruction of nature thereby eroding whatever borders protected humans from nature’s diseases. Justino also remarks on the eating habits in the city where as per him, eating supermarket food weakens one’s immune system. This comment illustrates how food is distributed and how in the cities, people get their food from packaged/processed goods as opposed to local means. The Fever is packed with many brilliant observations including some vital scenes which show the racism that indigenous people have to suffer in the city.

The films of Anita Rocha da Silveira

Double bill of Anita Rocha da Silveira’s features:

Kill Me Please (2015, Brazil/Argentina)
Medusa (2021, Brazil)

In Kill Me Please, a series of mysterious murders in Barra da Tijuca, a neighbourhood in the West zone of Rio de Janeiro, grab the attention of a few young girls who are curious about the murders and victim’s identities. However, 15 year old Bia (Valentina Herszage) ends up being more than just curious and digs deeper into the victim’s lives, causing her perception of reality to be altered.

Anita Rocha da Silveira’s extremely sharp debut film is a commentary on the new spaces created in Rio especially in time for the 2016 Olympics, such as the high-rise towers and housing blocks. Even though the film is set in Rio, there isn’t a beach in sight. The absence of a beach coupled with the focus on Rio’s new concrete jungle allows the director a vibrant platform to neatly mesh two genres, coming of age plus a horror genre with a splash of red. The end result is a film that depicts a varied contemporary side of Brazil, one where alienation and isolation complicates emotions related to sex and death.

Anita Rocha da Silveira’s second feature Medusa expands the canvas of exploring contemporary Brazilian society with another colourful mix of genres. There are attackers and victims in Medusa but this time, a group of young girls are the attackers. In the film, a group of eight girls wear a mask and hunt at night to beat up young women that are committing sin. 

The girl attackers are violent evangelists who demand that their female victim give up their sinful ways and come over to Jesus. The girls belong to a church group and inspired by their minister’s words use fear and violence to spread the message of love and peace. The ironic nature of their ways is fully intended as is evident by the film’s usage of satire to depict the girl’s lives. The main character Mari (Mari Oliveira, acted in Kill me Please) slowly starts to question her evangelist mission and struggles to keep her awakened feelings and desires in check.

The girl attackers are just one arm of the church while the other arm is led by a group of men (referred to as ‘The Watchmen’) who train military style and beat up sinners. The Watchmen are like a fascist group (think Elite Squad) without weapons and use their fists to enforce the word of God.

Like her previous feature, Anita Rocha da Silveira meshes up different genres with touches of horror, satire and a commentary on right-wing politics and religious fanaticism. The title of Medusa clearly touches upon the Greek myth but as per her Cannes interview, Silveira mentions that the film narrows in on Medusa’s scream:

“For me, it represents releasing this anger that women have been putting aside for years, for generations. We can release this anger that we have to keep inside because you’re told you can’t speak out loud, you can’t be crazy, you have to be this controlled woman that speaks in a low voice and doesn’t lose control,”…Variety

Screams are indeed heard in the film on many occasions, notably in the ending. The screams coupled with usage of a synthwave music soundtrack reminds of John Carpenter’s films. There were many sequences in the film where the soundtrack felt like straight out of Carpenter’s Christine. 

The film’s splashy colour evokes Dario Argento while the neon-lit evangelist church scenes reminded me of Gabriel Mascaro’s Divine Love (2019) but the underlying message in the film is dark and points to a radicalization of society and individuals. In the same Cannes interview, Silveira mentions the real life incidents that led to the film’s creation:

"Then I was also struck by reading news articles about girls ganging up to beat up another girl. There were a lot of these episodes happening in Brazil, and also in Argentina and Chile."

Anita Rocha da Silveira may only have two feature films to her name but both films ooze with creativity in depicting Brazilian society. I cannot wait her for next feature.

The Films of Glauber Rocha

Films seen as part of this spotlight

Pátio (1959, short film, 11 min)
Barravento (1962)
Black God, White Devil (1964)
Entranced Earth (1967)
Antonio das Mortes (1969)
Der Leone Have Sept Cabeças (1970)
Câncer (1972)

Glauber Rocha’s name looms large over Brazil’s Cinema Novo movement. In the context of this movement, the titles that I had previously seen were 3 well known vital films: Deus e o diablo na terra do sol (Black God, White Devil), Terra em transe (Entranced Earth) and Antonio das Mortes. However, missing from my viewing was Rocha’s first feature film Barravento. When a new edition of Barravento became available in 2021, it helped fill a gap and gave a chance to revisit some of his older films.

Pátio (1959, short film, 11 min)
 
Pátio is described as an experimental short and that holds true as there is no conventional narrative element. A man and woman wake up on a chess board type of floor while their movements are accompanied by music. One can see the initial seeds of Rocha’s style in this film especially with regards to incorporating musical rhythms.

Barravento (1962)

Initially, the setting of Barravento in a fishing village on the coast of Bahia feels at odds with the parched rugged landscape in Rocha’s later films. But once the story progresses, it becomes clear the film contains themes and elements that became Rocha’s signature later on.

In the film, Firmino (Antonio Pitanga) returns home from the city flush with cash and stories of his success. Firmino is puzzled why the locals don’t fight for their rights against their rulers. He is also frustrated at the locals' customs and beliefs, including their Candomblé religion, which he scorns and finds backwards. Firmino goes about trying to incite change in a variety of ways even including the usage of traditional elements that he looks down upon himself. The film contains Rocha’s core themes of revolt and fighting for one’s rights which are explored further in Black God, White Devil and Antonio das Mortes. Barravento also captures the dance, rituals and rhythms of the villagers and in this regard the film is a dress rehearsal for Antonio das Mortes.

 

Barravento is a brilliant film and it is hard to believe that it is Rocha’s debut. The setting of the film in a fishing village reminded me of Paulo Rocha’s Change of Life (1966), Ritwik Ghatak’s A River Called Titas (1973) and even the recent The Salt in Our Waters (2020).

 

Black God, White Devil (1964, Glauber Rocha)

Rocha’s raw and savage Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol does not loosen its grip from the first frame until the last. In fact, the final images of the film depict rapid movement which indicate that the story will continue well after the fade to black.

 

Black God, White Devil depicts a corrupt lawless world where landlords, religious figures and outlaws jostle for power and control over the souls of innocent workers. As a result, innocent men and women are forced to align between various corrupt figures and that choice governs how long they will be able to avoid death. In the film, the married couple of Manuel (Geraldo Del Rey) and Rosa (Yoná Magalhães) are forced on the run after Manuel kills a rancher who was taking advantage of them. The couple believe they have found salvation under a powerful religious figure but they are forced into a much more violent life because of that meeting. The usage of black and white coupled with a remarkable musical score heightens the violent struggles and the dark corrupt men that roam it.

 

 

All the characters are memorable but Maurício do Valle’s character of Antônio das Mortes gets his own film later on.

Entranced Earth (1967)

Glauber Rocha’s Entranced Earth makes up a lot of ground depicting politics from grassroots all the way up to the presidential level. The film is set in a fictional country of Eldorado but the battle between ideologies could easily apply to many Latin countries.  In this regard, the film can be seen as a vital abstract depiction of how ideas can turn dangerous and power can blind men into cruelty.

The story is told from the perspective of poet and journalist Paulo Martins (Jardel Filho) who finds himself oscillating between supporting the right-wing candidate Porfirio Diaz (Paulo Autran) and Felipe Vieira (José Lewgoy) who is far from a moderate character.

The film’s style is intoxicating with the inclusion of some jazzy notes and close-ups of the deranged and tormented characters. There are many dialogues which light up the screen. Here are just a few:

“The blood of the people is sacred.”

“History isn’t changed by tears.”

“We have to choose between electorate and commitments”

Antonio das Mortes (1969)

Maurício do Valle reprises his Antonio das Mortes character from Black God, White Devil where he went about killing outlaws and saving the land from evil. He continues his fight in Antonio das Mortes when he is hired as a jagunço to rid the village of a new evil Cangaço. However, as the film progresses, Antonio has his perspective changed and sees the class conflict in a new light. This was Rocha’s first colour film and the rich colour coupled with the music, dance sequences and creative camera work adds to a sensory overload.

Der Leone Have Sept Cabeças (1970)

Rocha’s themes of revolt and fighting for one’s rights are transported from the Brazilian landscape to Congo. As a result, the film highlights colonial and political themes which show how messy revolts can be and how alliances can shift. Religion and guns which are a key part in Rocha's films are included here as well. The film’s battles and inclusion of explosive characters recall Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski’s film collaborations.

Other Reading

Ela Bittencourt's piece on Entranced Earth is vital reading as she dives more into the film’s themes and ideas.

Alonso Aguilar on Antonio das Mortes.

Fantasia 2021

Fantasia 2021 runs from Aug 5 - 25th in a hybrid format. Unlike last year’s virtual edition, this year’s edition is showing films in cinemas along with a few on-demand.

The following are comments on five films seen virtually. Three films are refreshing upgrades on genre films while the main highlight was screening of a two decade old Uruguayan cult film!

King Car (2021, Brazil, Renata Pinheiro)

A few years ago, Bacurau showed the power of using genre (Spaghetti Westerns, John Carpenter’s films) to create a smart multi-layered political allegory. Renata Pinheiro taps into the same energy albeit via a different set of genre films, the Hollywood car horror movie from late 1970s-80s such as The Car (1977) and John Carpenter’s Christine. He also incorporates a few more car centric elements such as the talking car of Knight Rider with a fetish touch of David Cronberg’s Crash (difference is that the pleasure isn’t only one way). If that wasn’t enough, the film is layered with some social, environmental and political messaging. The overall mood and tone of film also reminded me a bit of Adirley Queirós’ Once There was Brasilia.

Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2021, Japan, Junta Yamaguchi)

The time loop movie has become a sub-genre within sci-fi films and its depiction has taken on many forms ranging from comedy (Groundhog Day), dark comedy (the recent Palm Springs) to action/thriller (Edge of Tomorrow) and even horror (Timecrimes). A majority of the films revolve around characters going back to a key event in their lives to save the world, save a loved one or even saving themselves. Unfortunately, a majority of these films get caught in their own repetitive loop and lose momentum after the nth repetitive scene. Therefore, it is such a joy to discover Junta Yamaguchi’s Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes, a charming, creative take on the time loop movie. In the film, the main character can only see 2 minutes into the future and this discovery happens when he leaves the cafe to go to his apartment upstairs. 

The 2 minute concept is lovingly expanded with plenty of humour and even though there is some saving involved, it is nowhere near as dramatic as most of the Hollywood repetitions. Also, the film shows that a talented filmmaker can add a loving dimension to this sub-genre with a limited budget. No need of millions for pointless explosions and car crashes.

Tiong Bahru Social Club (2020, Singapore, Tan Bee Thiam)

The happy peaceful suburbia concept has proved to be fodder for horror and dramatic films which have shown the darkness that hides behind the curtains of those oh so perfect looking white picket fences. David Lynch’s Blue Velvet is just one example but there have been many other films which have gone the full body horror route while some have gone the satire way (The Stepford Wives). The recent Vivarium combined satire, horror and sci-fi. Tiong Bahru Social Club shows that there is another possible way. The setting of Singapore adds a much needed splash of colour and the suburban houses are replaced with an apartment like community. The satire is quite visible and the location of Singapore ensures a clean sanitized version on screen at all times. There is a hint of an evil scheming plot that is turning the wheels in the background but even that is presented in the film’s overall pleasant tone. The end result is a film that shows it is possible to tackle existential ideas in a humorous manner without resorting to blood, gore and orgies.

Act of Violence in a Young Journalist (1988, Uruguay, Manuel Lamas)
Straight to VHS (2021, Uruguay, Emilio Silva Torres)

 

The highlight of the festival so far has been the double bill of Act of Violence in a Young Journalist and Straight to VHS. Manuel Lamas’ 1988 film Act of Violence in a Young Journalist is a curious beast. The low budget video production gives the film a grainy look which at times indicates an old fashioned B-grade film but that is doing the film a huge disservice. In some aspects, the film is well ahead of its time by mixing documentary style footage with some fictional aspects and having these two threads come together in a creative manner. The main character Blanca (Blanca Gimenez) is a journalist doing a thesis into what violence means and she goes about interviewing various subjects on the nature of violence. These interviews lead to some of the film’s best moments including a segment where a subject links the violence in Uruguayan society to that which takes place on-field in Uruguayan soccer games. This subject’s observations in a way predict the evolution of Uruguayan soccer over the last 2 decades and how the team has formalized violence in a formal framework within their game. Even today, the Uruguayan team of Oscar Tabárez is known for its grit, tough tackling physical side rather than a creative flair. Blanca’s work attracts the attention of a person who believes that the only way Blanca can learn about violence is experiencing it first hand. So he starts a series of killing with the intent of killing Blanca last. There are some creative camera movements that are often hidden by the film’s low budget production (editing, sound) but it is easy to see why this film became a cult phenomena.

Emilio Silva Torres tries to decipher this cult nature in his smart documentary Straight to VHS that also uses a creative touch of fiction to walk through the Lamas labyrinth.

Allan Fish Online Film Festival

Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures (2005, Brazil, Marcelo Gomes)

Allan Fish was a pure cinephile who spent countless hours hunting down precious films from all corners of the world. He wrote about many such discoveries at The Fish Obscuro section on Wonders in the Dark. Of the many titles he covered, one that sticks to my mind is the 1964 Brazilian film Noite Vazia by Walter Hugo Khouri. This is a remarkable film whose discovery I owe solely to Allan. The film is unlike any of the other Brazilian films of the Cinema Novo that I have seen and is far from the rugged Brazilian landscapes of Glauber Rocha’s cinema. In fact, Noite Vazia feels closer to the sentiment of Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni.

In order to pay tribute to Allan’s review of Noite Vazia, I opted for Marcelo Gomes’ Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures. This selection brings Brazil, Italy and England together from my perspective. Marcelo Gomes’ thoughtful Brazilian road film reminded me of Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore. As for the English connection, I discovered this film at the BFI London Film Festival which was the first international film festival I travelled to. The film and the BFI London festival kickstarted my love for global cinema and film festivals, a path that eventually led me to find the Wonders in the Dark website and get to know Sam and Allan.

The road film has a special place in cinema and over the decades we have seen some stellar films all set on the road where the main character takes a journey in their car or a motorcycle. The act of taking the journey on a long road leads to a transformation and a change in the character. Sometimes the character goes looking for change in order to escape from their current life. This aspect certainly applies to Johann (Peter Ketnath) in Marcelo Gomes’ film. Johann is a German who has moved to Brazil to escape the conflict back home. He makes a living by driving across the vast Brazilian countryside selling Aspirin, a new medicine as per the film's setting in 1942. It would have been difficult for Johann to sell aspirin to people used to rejecting change but he comes up with a clever sales tactic of using the alluring cinematic medium to make his sales. This is where Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures has shades of Giuseppe Tornatore’s The Star Maker albeit with a slight variation. In The Star Maker, the salesman is a cheat but in Gomes' film, Johann is not a cheat even though his methods portray him as a mercenary. Along the way, Johann picks up a local (Ranulpho played by João Miguel) who wishes to leave his village life behind and head to Rio. The two become good friends and Ranulpho travels along with Johann by working as his assistant. But then the War that Johann escaped from finds its way to Brazil and Johann has a difficult choice to make – to return to Europe or continue his free spirited way. The movie shows how different people’s idea of freedom varies and what makes one person happy can be torture for another.

One of the most striking aspects of the film is the cinematography. Gomes and cinematographer Mauro Pinheiro Jr. overexposed the 35mm film reels thereby creating a bleached look to the film. Watching the film in a movie theatre conveyed the heat and brutality of the scorching Brazilian countryside. Unfortunately, this striking aspect of the visuals doesn’t come across in the online version of the film as the colours are muted and not as sharp as they were in the cinema. Still, it is a film worth viewing in any manner whatsoever.

Film Link

English Subtitles: The original English subtitles are not present with the film but you can select the Auto-translate subtitles feature by clicking on the Settings Icon. This does mean that the auto-translated English subtitles are not as good as the official released version.

Cross-published on Wonders in the Dark.

THE HUMAN SURGE

THE HUMAN SURGE (2016, Eduardo Williams, Argentina/Brazil/Portugal)

Eduardo Williams’ stunning debut feature takes us on a remarkable journey around the globe, spanning three continents. THE HUMAN SURGE is structured in three parts starting off in Argentina (Buenos Aires) before moving to Mozambique (Maputo) and finishing its whirlwind global tour in the Philippine province of Bohol. In each of its three segments, the film depicts young people who are either trying to make ends meet by taking on different jobs or those who are in between jobs. Technology plays a key part in these different jobs and that also nicely ties in with the film's theme of exploring the impact of the internet and computers in our modern world. The film depicts an entire global cycle of jobs from manufacturing of computer parts all the way to how people use computers and the internet to earn money.

The internet and its wired/wireless network allows people to easily communicate around the world, thereby shrinking our planet. Williams has smartly used this network connectivity and shrinking of the world to depict jaw-dropping original cinematic transitions between the three parts. He has even managed to plug nature and its picturesque landscapes into our wired world. The end result is a film that is never short on movement, as it follows its characters through a network of paths, ranging from almost invisible paths to rugged larger-than-life trails.

Each path and subsequent journey is crafted with its own unique visual technique. The Argentine segment is filmed using 16 mm, while the images in Mozambique are filmed with an inventive mix of a Blackmagic pocket camera and 16mm, and a RED camera captures the tiniest details of the lovely Philippine environment. As a result, each segment has its own distinguishing colour palette and texture which matches the rhythm of the story. In keeping pace with its characters and the story, the camera is never static but hovers and wanders around its characters. In some sequences, the camera is freed from the confines of space and time thereby achieving movements that defy belief.

The end result is a film that takes us on a breathtaking journey of our non-stop, constantly shifting world. Winner of the Golden Leopard award in the Filmmakers of the present category at the Locarno Film Festival, THE HUMAN SURGE signals the arrival of a talented new director.

Note: Cross-published here.

Essential reading about the film:

1. Leo Goldsmith in Cinema Scope

2. Max Nelson in Film Comment

Best Films of 2014

10 months into 2015, I finally have a better handle on the films of 2014. Therefore, a correction is due for the previously published ‘Best films of 2014’ list which featured a good number of 2013 films. The following list is exclusively 2014 films and is a reworking of the previous ‘Best of 2014’ list.

1. Timbuktu (Mauritania/France, Abderrahmane Sissako)

At its core, TIMBUKTU is about how people from a different nation or culture try to impose their ways onto another culture. At first, this description illustrates problems currently plaguing parts of Asia and Africa. However, this problem is not new and has existed for centuries when ancient cultures clashed and one culture tried to impose their way onto others. Sissako has infused his film with plenty of dark satire which results in a few comical scenarios, yet the implications are nothing to laugh at. For example, in one scene, the militants want the local women to cover every part of their body, including wearing gloves on their hands. Yet, as one fish seller points out, she cannot handle the fish if she is wearing gloves. Her protests draw attention to the absurdity of the situation yet similar situations happen everyday where people are killed for not listening to the absurd demands of their invaders. Another such absurd moment happens when the militants forbid the local boys from playing soccer. This results in one of the most beautiful scenes in the film where the kids play soccer without a ball. The kids move around pretending they are passing an invisible ball or taking a shot at goal. This scene is one of the most powerful political protests ever filmed in cinema.

TIMBUKTU shows that victims of violence don’t get any justice. Therefore, this causes individuals to take the law into their hands, an aspect which ensures a perpetual circle of violence as each violent act is countered with an equal forceful response. In order to emphasize this point, Sissako purposefully has an an air of inevitability around the film. If there was a film where one wished for a happen ending, this was it. Yet, Sissako purposely rejects us that happiness because in real life there are no happy endings.

2. The Tribe (Ukraine/Netherlands, Miroslav Slaboshpitsky)

TIMBUKTU has one powerful silent scene featuring a non-existent soccer ball but THE TRIBE is a silent film that is powerful from start to finish. It takes a few moments for the viewer to get adjusted to the world of characters who communicate with sign language. There are no subtitles or musical cues to aid the viewer, an aspect that adds to the film’s strength. However, once the viewer is drawn into the silent world, the film doesn’t let go. Shocking scenes happen without notice resulting in a work of pure cinema that is intense, relentless and gut-wrenching.

3. Jauja (Argentina co-production, Lisandro Alonso)

In his previous films, Lisandro Alonso has shown characters in a farm, forest, snowy mountain regions and a river. Therefore, it is appropriate he sets JAUJA in a hot desert thereby covering all aspects of nature in his films. The lonely man aspect from his previous films is present but Alonso also adds a lovely element of family relationships that gives the film a strong emotional backbone. This family element also allows Alonso to play with the aspect of time. In films such as LOS MUERTOS, LIVERPOOL, Alonso’s male characters go on a journey in order to make amends for their past. However, in JAUJA, Alonso skillfully blends past, present and future in a beautiful unexpected manner.

4. The Fool (Russia, Yuriy Bykov)

Yuriy Bykov cleverly uses a building’s collapse to explore larger moral and ethical issues around society. The closed door meetings between city officials show how corruption can take root in a society and impact citizens in their day to day existence. Even though the film is set in Russia, its topic is applicable to any city and shows how easy it is for those in power to cross the morality line.

5. She Comes Back on Thursday (Brazil, André Novais Oliveira)

André Novais Oliveira makes his feature film debut in a remarkable manner by blending documentary with fiction. He acts in the film along with his parents and brother and all four use their real names in the film. However, the four of them are not playing themselves but instead are acting within the framework of fiction. Still, SHE COMES BACK ON THURSDAY is constructed like a documentary, giving attention to tiny details about life and relationships. The close bond between the family members results in scenes which flow effortlessly allowing audience an intimate look at the characters. The everyday sounds that are allowed to flow in the frames recalls Kleber Mendonça Filho’s NEIGHBORING SOUNDS but André Novais Oliveira has crafted his own unique path by opting to show a different side of Brazil from other Brazilian films. The setting of the film in the suburbs of Belo Horizonte showcases a Brazil that is not seen in cinema along with characters that don’t make an appearance in Brazilian films. Finally, the selection of the lovely music makes SHE COMES BACK ON THURSDAY a beautiful poetic film about life, love, death and everything in between.

6. August Winds (Brazil, Gabriel Mascaro)

Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro known for some groundbreaking documentaries (HIGH-RISE, DEFIANT BRASILIA) is able to transfer his attentive eye for detail into AUGUST WINDS, his feature film debut. The film blurs the line between documentary and fiction by using non-actors and being set in the North Eastern part of Brazil during the month of August when the trade winds are at their peak. Mascaro is also the film’s cinematographer and his eye-popping visuals along with distinct sounds helps create a strong atmosphere for the film which is a meditative look at life and death.

7. Fig Fruit and the Wasps (India, M.S Prakash Babu)

Gowri (Bhavani Prakash), a documentary filmmaker, travels with her cameraman Vittal (Ranjit Bhaskaran) to a remote village in search of a musical teacher for her project which requires her to study how music is shaped by different locations. She believes that there is a reason why musical instruments are shaped differently in each region and that difference in turn influences the evolution of music and rhythm. However, as they reach the village, the musician is nowhere to be found. The two are forced to wait for his return. As the two continue waiting, things don’t go as per their plan as the village offers an unusual challenge for the duo, even though they have traveled to many similar villages in the past. FIG FRUIT AND THE WASPS marks the stunning debut of MS Prakash Babu who draws on his painting background to create a vibrant picture of events, while carefully letting the sounds and rhythms of Chitradurga (South India) filter into the screen. The end result is an impressive debut that recalls the filmmaking sensibilities of Satyajit Ray, Ozu and Robert Bresson.

8. The Second Game (Romania, Corneliu Porumboiu)

THE SECOND GAME uses a simple premise of a dialogue between father-son watching a soccer game to highlight how politics can shape local soccer derbies. Of course, the dialogue is not between two ordinary people. Corneliu Porumboiu is discussing the 1988 fixture of the Romanian derby between Dinamo and Steaua Bucharest with his father Adrian, who was the referee for that game. Therefore, Adrian has plenty of insight regarding how the political aspect of Romanian society played a part in the derby. This film is also a rare historical account of a time when Romanian soccer players such Hagi, Dumitrescu, Petrescu and Lăcătuș played behind the Iron Curtain. The world only found out the full strength and technical ability of these players during the 1990 and 1994 Soccer World Cups. This film shows us a bit of their past. 

On a lighter note, in the film, Corneliu Porumboiu asks his father "Don't you think it [derby] looks like one of my films? It's long, and nothing happens”. The words are a direct poke towards critics of many foreign films and soccer games who don’t understand why every minute is not jam packed with action. Many Soccer games and works of Contemporary Contemplative Cinema gain their power by letting events unfold slowly and as a result, the patient viewer will be rewarded with a moment of blistering beauty.

9. From What is Before (Philippines, Lav Diaz)

After the short film NORTE, THE END OF HISTORY (only 4 hour running time), it is a pleasure to see Lav Diaz return to this long form cinema with the 5.5 hour FROM WHAT IS BEFORE. Diaz mixes politics and history with elements of murder and fear in a seamless manner. As a result, the film illustrates how fear is one of the most powerful currencies of a dictatorship, regardless of the nation which the dictatorship rules.

10. Two Days, One Night (Belgium/France/Italy, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne)

Even by the high standard of the Dardenne brothers, TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT is a staggering achievement. The film depicts moral and ethical questions that are always present when money is involved. And in Marion Cotillard, the brothers have found a perfect face to convey the range of emotions from desperation to despair and even a touch of hope.

Honorable mentions:

Top Five (USA, Chris Rock)

This is Chris Rock’s BIRDMAN mixed with a bit of Richard Linklater. The end result is one of the most pleasurable films of 2014!

Court (India, Chaitanya Tamhane)

This is fiction yet it could easily be a documentary as everything shown about the Kafkaesque court system in India is true. One of the most creative Indian films made in the last few years!

Maidan (Ukraine/Netherlands, Sergei Loznitsa)

In the past, Loznitsa made some remarkable documentaries which used old footage to depict life in the Soviet Union. Therefore, it is exciting to see him bring that patient documentary eye to contemporary events. This results in a film that highlights the power of a crowd in creating change.

Clouds of Sils Maria (France/Germany/Switzerland, Olivier Assayas)

Oliver Assayas depicts the cut-throat film world where people will go to any lengths in order to get ahead. The film is a different beast from David Cronenberg’s MAP OF THE STARS which takes dark satire to melodramatic heights. On the other hand, Assayas firmly keeps one foot in reality in depicting his characters.

Eat Your Bones (2014, France, Jean-Charles Hue)

A work of astounding beauty and violence that is a brilliant cross between the cinema of Bruno Dumont, Harmony Korine and Claire Denis, enhanced with a layer of noir.

Plus the remaining 2014 films from the previous ‘Best of 2014’ list, which includes THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, WELCOME TO NEW YORK, LI’L QUINQUIN, GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEM, JOY OF MAN’S DESIRING.