One of the most acclaimed and influential Brazilian films ever made, Black God, White Devil (Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol) tells the story of Manoel, a young cowherd who murders a wealthy ranch owner and flees to the drought-ridden hinterlands of northern Brazil with his wife Rosa. Now outlawed, they join a religious cult headed by the mystic self-proclaimed saint Sabastião, who condones acts of violence. The couple are plunged into a moral dilemma between embracing religious fanaticism and a life of brutality amongst rural peasant bandits. Meanwhile, the authorities hire a gunman known as Antonio Das Mortes to track them down.
This audacious and fearless award-winning film, celebrated for its fusion of mysticism and folklore and its examination of aspects of religion, violence, and social injustice, was hugely influential in shaping the Cinema Novo movement and has inspired many filmmakers. Mawu Films is proud to present this milestone of Brazilian filmmaking in a brand new 4K restoration of the original 35mm materials preserved by the Cinemateca Brasileira.
Technical Specifications
Supplements
- Audio commentary by restoration supervisor Lino Meireles
- Intimacy & Distance: the political visual style of Black God, White Devil - a visual essay by Manuela Lazic and Alessandro Luchetti (2023, 14 mins)
- Labyrinth Glauber The Brazilian - a documentary on the filmmaker by Silvio Tendler featuring interviews with colleagues and collaborators (2003, 98 mins)
- Cinema Novo - an award-winning documentary by filmmaker and son of Glauber Rocha, Eryk Rocha on the Brazilian filmmaking movement, featuring interviews with noted figures including Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Joaquim Pedro de Andrade and Rocha himself (2016, 90 mins)
- Trailer
- Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho and critic Rafa Sales Ross