The documentary Portraits Fantômes by Brazilian director and screenwriter Kleber Mendonça Filho, presented as a Special Screening at Cannes 2023. This 91-minute film, the fruit of seven years' work and research, explores the cinematic history and culture of downtown Recife, Brazil.
Portraits Fantômes highlights the central role played by the great cinemas of the 20th century in the social and cultural life of Recife. These places of dreams and industry were spaces of conviviality and witnesses to changes in society. The documentary is 60% archival material, including photographs and moving images from personal collections, Pernambuco film and television production, and institutions such as the Cinemateca Brasileira, the Centre Technique Audiovisuel (CTAV) and the Joaquim Nabuco Foundation.
The production of Portraits Fantômes was made possible with the support of the Fonds Sectoriel de l'Audiovisuel (FSA), the Banque Régionale du Développement de l'Extrême Sud (BRDE) and the Agence Nationale du Cinéma (Ancine). The film will be distributed in Brazilian cinemas in the second half of this year by Vitrine Filmes, which has also distributed Kleber Mendonça Filho's previous films.
Kleber Mendonça Filho is an internationally acclaimed director. His previous films, such asAquarius (2016) and Bacurau (2019, co-directed with Juliano Dornelles), have been selected and awarded at previous editions of the Cannes Film Festival. Bacurau won the Prix du Jury in 2019.
Without having had the opportunity to see Portraits Fantômes, it's difficult to give a definitive opinion on the film. However, given the information available and Kleber Mendonça Filho's talent, it's likely that this documentary will arouse the interest of audiences and critics alike when it is presented at the Cannes Film Festival 2023.
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