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In Mato Grosso do Sol in Brazil, a war is raging between the wealthy farming classes and the workers on their land - The indigenous Guarani- Kaiowá. Their employment prospects are bleak with little option than to work as semi-slaves. On their plantations. However when a suicide occurs it stirs up a rebellion and both sides are forced to face each other, clashing both ideologically and physically. When a deep bond between two youngsters from opposite camps begins to emerge, can their love withstand the cultural fissures of a nation.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I saw this movie at the cinema last year and am now reminded what a good film it was. What I particularly like about the film is that it shows the Guarani as real people and does not try to romanticise them as 'the noble savage'. Their teenagers are like our teenagers. They wear jeans, fall in love etc etc A real insight into what is happening in Brazil today as cattle ranchers attempt to wipe out any indigenous peoples in their way. Was pleased to see an appeal at the end of the film for the Guarani Fund set up by the director of the film with human rights organisation Survival International. One to watch for sure.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this on the strength of 'Mrs P's review; so many thanks for the heads up. This is a really unusual film for many reasons and all of them good. It tries to convey the seemingly hopeless plight of one of the indigenous "Indian" tribes in Brazil (as they are referred to in Brazil) the Guarani-Kaiowa, to give them their full title.
They want to get back to their roots which are tied up in their ancestral land, and so leave the reservation, which they feel they must do or all the future holds is death. Their lands have been taken and turned into farm land and they are clearly not welcome.
Their struggle to make sense of the new world whilst wanting to have one foot and preferably both firmly planted in what was clearly a better past is boiled down into the microcosm of this small band.
They are portrayed as regular people and not the freak show that is often the depiction of indigenous and 'non westernised' peoples. I think a lot of this is down to the excellent work of Marco Bechis whose vision and direction is responsible for the film.
Amazingly this was shot in just ten weeks with an entire cast on non actors and with no script, but as mentioned earlier this adds to the authenticity and quirkiness of the film. It is miles away from the much more famous 'City of God'City Of God (Cidade De Deus) [DVD] [2003] which is how a lot of people think of Brazil, that or street parties such as Mardi Gras. But as Brazil moves ever closer to becoming the world's fifth largest economy, films such as this become ever more important. On reflection 4.5 stars would have probably been fairer, but this will not be a film to everyone's tastes. This is not an action, thriller etc. But it is moving, thought provoking revealing and it treats the viewer as an intelligent individual and does not preach, well not until the end when it asks for contributions to the 'survival' appeal, but by that time you will be converted to their very real and deserving cause.
They want to get back to their roots which are tied up in their ancestral land, and so leave the reservation, which they feel they must do or all the future holds is death. Their lands have been taken and turned into farm land and they are clearly not welcome.
Their struggle to make sense of the new world whilst wanting to have one foot and preferably both firmly planted in what was clearly a better past is boiled down into the microcosm of this small band.
They are portrayed as regular people and not the freak show that is often the depiction of indigenous and 'non westernised' peoples. I think a lot of this is down to the excellent work of Marco Bechis whose vision and direction is responsible for the film.
Amazingly this was shot in just ten weeks with an entire cast on non actors and with no script, but as mentioned earlier this adds to the authenticity and quirkiness of the film. It is miles away from the much more famous 'City of God'City Of God (Cidade De Deus) [DVD] [2003] which is how a lot of people think of Brazil, that or street parties such as Mardi Gras. But as Brazil moves ever closer to becoming the world's fifth largest economy, films such as this become ever more important. On reflection 4.5 stars would have probably been fairer, but this will not be a film to everyone's tastes. This is not an action, thriller etc. But it is moving, thought provoking revealing and it treats the viewer as an intelligent individual and does not preach, well not until the end when it asks for contributions to the 'survival' appeal, but by that time you will be converted to their very real and deserving cause.
Format:DVD
I try to watch all World cinema films shown for free on BBC4 and BirdWatchers was no exception. Within two minutes I'd fallen in with it, its relevancy - and irreverence.
From the opening tourist-pleasing shots to when the group of indigenous Guarani Indians put on their T- shirts and board trucks to go look for work, I knew that this film had attitude and was worth sticking with. A natural wicked humour shone through from the non-professional cast, as if unscripted.
Yes, I found the suicides difficult to cope with and their subsequent cool treatment. I also found the attempts of conveying spiritual and religious interjections, with juddery camera work and awkward sound effects off-putting and misplaced.
Leaving the Reservation that's set aside for them and illegally making camp on sacred ground that's now fenced off and deforested, they fall foul of the European landowner. The landowner's children do nothing all day except swim where they like - and upsetting rituals of the tribes-people and riding scooters. They're spoilt and brattish. One of the teenage girls taunts and tries to seduce the trainee shaman, whose devout law is not to sully himself with pleasures of the flesh, let alone from another race, and definitely not from a family seen as an enemy. He's often torn with both his tribal responsibilities and his attractions for the girl. Some of these scenes don't really work very well but I suppose they did convey youthful apprehensions.
Later in the film there were quite a few skirmishes between groups and I have to confess I lost track of who/what and why they were doing what they were. It seemed to end on a frenetic note and a stark written epilogue flashes up, that is both sobering and alarming. There is no doubt a huge political and ecological message within the film's 100 minutes and largely this has been put across as best it can. Certainly better than a western documentary maker spending a month only focusing on the juicy bits and it's a pity that more people won't get to see it - and to learn and appreciate this people's plight.
From the opening tourist-pleasing shots to when the group of indigenous Guarani Indians put on their T- shirts and board trucks to go look for work, I knew that this film had attitude and was worth sticking with. A natural wicked humour shone through from the non-professional cast, as if unscripted.
Yes, I found the suicides difficult to cope with and their subsequent cool treatment. I also found the attempts of conveying spiritual and religious interjections, with juddery camera work and awkward sound effects off-putting and misplaced.
Leaving the Reservation that's set aside for them and illegally making camp on sacred ground that's now fenced off and deforested, they fall foul of the European landowner. The landowner's children do nothing all day except swim where they like - and upsetting rituals of the tribes-people and riding scooters. They're spoilt and brattish. One of the teenage girls taunts and tries to seduce the trainee shaman, whose devout law is not to sully himself with pleasures of the flesh, let alone from another race, and definitely not from a family seen as an enemy. He's often torn with both his tribal responsibilities and his attractions for the girl. Some of these scenes don't really work very well but I suppose they did convey youthful apprehensions.
Later in the film there were quite a few skirmishes between groups and I have to confess I lost track of who/what and why they were doing what they were. It seemed to end on a frenetic note and a stark written epilogue flashes up, that is both sobering and alarming. There is no doubt a huge political and ecological message within the film's 100 minutes and largely this has been put across as best it can. Certainly better than a western documentary maker spending a month only focusing on the juicy bits and it's a pity that more people won't get to see it - and to learn and appreciate this people's plight.
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