Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures

Colour, 35 mm
Brazil, 2005, 99 min
Section: Forum of Independents

Synopsis

A dry, arid, barren landscape. A small village deep inside north-eastern Brazil. Vultures circle above. It is the year 1942 and aspirin is as new to the local inhabitants as the film screenings the young German Johann uses to sell the product. As Johann drives from one village to another, the war in Europe seems far away. On the road he gives a lift to the local villager Ranulpho. You could hardly find two people more different. But Ranulpho soon becomes Johann’s assistant and the story of an unusual friendship starts to unfold. However, this exotic road movie with its convincing atmosphere soon becomes a powerful drama: Brazil enters the war with Germany and Johann suddenly finds himself the enemy…

About the director

Marcelo Gomes (Recife, Brazil) studied TV journalism, then he continued his studies at Bristol University’s Film School, UK. He produced a number of videos back in Brazil. His first short film Maracatu, Maracatus (1995) received several awards. In 1996, he produced Punk, Rock, Hard Core, a documentary about pop music and Brazilian youth. In 1997, he directed Expresso Brasil, a documentary television series about Brazilian culture, lifestyle and tourism. His second short film, Clandestina Felicidade won fourteen awards in several film festivals. His feature debut Cinema, Aspirin and Vultures (2005) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.