Cinema
Black God, White Devil
Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol
Glauber Rocha · 1964
Synopsis
In the sertão of the Nordeste, Manuel and Rosa, poor cowherds, work for a landowner. After a quarrel over the sharing of the cattle, Manuel kills his employer and flees with his wife. Driven by poverty, the couple turn to two violent, mystical figures: first Sebastião, a holy man who gathers followers and of whom Rosa has doubts, then Corisco, the blond devil, and his band.
Context
The second feature film of its author, written with Walter Lima Júnior, photographed in black and white by Waldemar Lima and produced by Copacabana Filmes, it brings together Geraldo Del Rey, Yoná Magalhães, Othon Bastos and Maurício do Valle; according to trigon-film, the music combines pieces by Heitor Villa-Lobos with songs by Sérgio Ricardo. Presented in competition at Cannes in 1964, two months after the military coup, it surprised festivalgoers there, and was released in France in January 1967. A 4K restoration, made from the original negative held at the Cinemateca Brasileira, was shown at Cannes Classics in 2022.
Who it is for
A film of about two hours, in Portuguese and in black and white, with nervous editing, which mixes documentary images and highly composed frames.
Prizes and reception
Rereleased in France in a restored version in late August 2023; the Abraccine ranks it second among Brazilian films, according to the Swiss distributor.
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