Light in the Tropics

Born in Paris and residing in Brazil, Paula Gaitán, a former collaborator of Glauber Rocha, takes viewers on an epic, four-hour journey through time and space. On one hand, it embraces the spirit of magical realism, and on the other, anthropological observation. It follows a young man in search of his roots in the Amazon rainforest. From the icy North, we teleport (literally!) with the protagonist to a leisurely drifting boat on a meandering river, where the rhythm is dictated by sunrises and sunsets. In the tranquility of the village, alongside the wise elderly women, he undergoes rituals that will drive away the lost spirits lurking in the reeds. From then on, the film's plot, having left behind the neophyte, focuses on a group of settlers, steeped in numbness, who once colonized America. Despite the twists and turns, seamlessly transitioning from one thread to another, from one continent to another, the wayward souls of ancestors remain within the frame. Among the constellation of actors and amateurs who participated in the film, we find the Portuguese actor Carloto Cotta, among others.