27.

internationales forum
des jungen films berlinl997
O SERTAO DAS MEMORIAS
Synopsis

47. internationale berlin

37

Der Serto der Erinnerungen / Landscape of Memories

A n t e r o a n d M a r i a appear, s u r r o u n d e d b y h u n d r e d s of b l a c k a n d w h i t e p h o t o g r a p h s o n the w a l l s of a s m a l l r o o m , portraits of o l d a n d y o u n g faces, offerings of thanks

Land: Brasilien 1 9 9 6 . Produktion: Arajo-Valladares P r o d u c t i o n s , G a n e s h Produces. Buch, Regie: Jose Arajo. Kamera: A n t o n i o L u i z M e n d e s Soares. Musik: N a n a V a s c o n c e l o s . Ausstattung: Flor P u n k . T o n : A n t o n H e r b e r t , M a r c i o C a m a r a . Schnitt: I s m a e l S a a v e d r a . Ton-Design: Jose Arajo. Produktionsmanager: W o l f f e n b u t t e l , M a r c i o C a m a r a . Regie-Assistenz: Fausto Bete A l e n c a r ,

for favours g r a n t e d . T h e s e are the p e o p l e of the Serto or Brazil.

the hot a n d a r i d lands of the N o r t h e a s t e r n interior of O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S tells the story of t w o 'Sertanejos', the inhabitants of the Sertao. M a r i a is the f e m i n i n e i n c a r n a t i o n of Jesus r e p r e s e n t i n g the strength o f t h e

W a l t e r F i l h o . Kamera-Assistenz: Joe P i m e n t e l . Schnitt-Assistenz: E l i z a b e t h Ross, A n i t a Ingle, M a u r i c i o S a a v e d r a , A a r o n L e v a c o . Darsteller: A n t e r o M a r q u e s Arajo, M a r i a E m i i c e P i n t o , E d u a r d o Braga, Padre J u v e m a r M a t o r . Format: 3 5 m m , 1:1.85, S c h w a r z w e i . Lnge: 9 6 M i n u t e n . Urauffhrung: 6. S e p t e m b e r 1 9 9 6 , Toronto F i l m Festival. Weltvertrieb: M e d i a L u n a , Ida M a r t i n s , F r i e s e n w a l l 8 3 , D- 5 0 6 7 2

o n a m i s s i o n of prayer o n w h i c h they j o u r n e y through the

Sertanejo w o m a n . She invites the Beatas (holy w o m e n )

c o u n t r y s i d e , w i t n e s s i n g the s o c i a l contrasts a n d unrest m o d e r n c i t y o n the c o a s t to s h a n t y t o w n s a n d rural

a m o n g p e o p l e . M a r i a a n d the Beatas travel through a landscapes scarred by drought in the interior of the country.

M Kln. T e l . : (49-221) 1 3 9 2 2 2 2 / 1 3 7 7 8 7 . F a x : (49-221) 1 3 9 2 2 2 4 a r i a ' s face expresses the c o l l e c t i v e suffering of the lives of the Sertanejos. O n her journeys she listens to stories / 135 4 7 4 . about the D r a g o n , the e x p l o i t a t i v e e n e m y of the poor. Inhalt

Antero und Maria erscheinen, umgeben von Hunderten von A u f n a h m e n v o n alten u n d j u n g e n G e s i c h t e r n , D a n k e s g a b e n fr Schwarzwei-Photos an d e n W n d e n e i n e s k l e i n e n Raumes,

A n t e r o is a s t r o n g w o r k e r a n d h e r o i c s y m b o l o f t h e the arid lands. H e sees h i m s e l f as a d i r e c t d e s c e n d a n t of

M a r i a e n c o u n t e r s A n t e r o at the foot of the tree o f life.

peasants. H i s c a l l o u s e d hands represent years of f a r m i n g

geleistete H i l f e . D a s s i n d d i e M e n s c h e n des Serto, der heien en.

the line of prophets f r o m the O l d Testament. A n t e r o ' s a n d m e m o r i e s o f t h e Sertanejos history intermingles w i t h M a r i a ' s . T h e c o l l e c t i v e tragedies f o r m his o w n story.

Steppen-Landschaft i m nordstlichen L a n d e s i n n e r n v o n B r a s i l i -

O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S erzhlt d i e G e s c h i c h t e v o n z w e i 'Sertanejos', B e w o h n e r n des Serto. M a r i a ist d i e w e i b l i c h e Rei n k a r n a t i o n v o n Jesus u n d reprsentiert d i e Strke d e r Frauen des

T h r o u g h his d r e a m s he predicts the e n d of the w o r l d . H e forsees plagues o n the l a n d . T h e characters he encounters interpretation w e see the u n f o l d i n g of b i b l i c a l p r o p h e c y . in his v i s i o n s are f r o m t h e B i b l e . T h r o u g h A n t e r o ' s Like M a r i a , A n t e r o also e n c o u n t e r s the D r a g o n w h i c h

Serto. Sie ldt d i e 'Beatas', d i e h e i l i g e n F r a u e n , z u einer G e b e t s -

s o z i a l e n Gegenstze u n d d i e U n z u f r i e d e n h e i t in d e r Bevlkerung Stadt an d e r Kste z u d e n S l u m s u n d lndlichen G e b i e t e n , d i e b e z e u g e n . M a r i a u n d d i e 'Beatas' reisen d u r c h e i n e m o d e r n e

m i s s i o n e i n , whrend d e r sie d u r c h das L a n d z i e h e n u n d d i e

has m a n y faces. It appears to h i m o n the h o r i z o n as the d o w i n g d e s t r u c t i o n . After this v i s i o n , the Sertanejos Four H o r s e m e n of the A p o c a l y p s e , an o m e n f o r e s h a suffer

tive Leiden der Sertanejos aus. A u f ihren Reisen hrt sie G e s c h i c h t e n ber d e n D r a c h e n , d e n a u s b e u t e r i s c h e n F e i n d d e r A r m e n .

v o n d e r Drre g e z e i c h n e t s i n d . M a r i a s G e s i c h t drckt das k o l l e k -

e v e n m o r e . P o l i t i c i a n s f r o m the cities arrive w i t h false promises in e x c h a n g e for votes. T h e p e o p l e listen silently. promises before. Their villages are historic regions of social D a i l y w o r k is part of their struggle, they h a v e heard these

A m Fue des L e b e n s b a u m s trifft sie auf A n t e r o . Er ist e i n krftiger Arbeiter und H e l d der Bauern. Seine schwieligen Hnde spiegeln d i e j a h r e l a n g e L a n d a r b e i t auf d e n drren F e l d e r n . Er betrachtet s i c h als d i r e k t e n N a c h f o g l e r d e r P r o p h e t e n aus d e m A l t e n Testament. A n t e r o s G e s c h i c h t e v e r m i s c h t s i c h m i t d e r M a r i a s . D i e k o l -

c o n f l i c t a n d the site of droughts a n d f a m i n e . T e l e v i s i o n

enters a n d further alienates p e o p l e . M y s t i c s a p p e a r in

W e l t v o r a u s . Er p r o p h e z e i t S e u c h e n . D i e G e s t a l t e n , d i e i h m in D e u t u n g w i r d d i e Erfllung b i b l i s c h e r P r o p h e z e i u n g d e u t l i c h .

ne e i g e n e G e s c h i c h t e . In s e i n e n Trumen sieht er das Ende d e r

lektiven Tragdien u n d E r i n n e r u n g e n d e r Sertanejos kreieren s e i -

fervour. A n t e r o a n d M a r i a are part of the r e v o l u t i o n a r y process, struggling against the D r a g o n in all its f o r m s .

to revolt. P o l i t i c a l a g i t a t i o n i n t e r m i x e s w i t h r e l i g i o u s

v i l l a g e s , d e c r y i n g the p o l i t i c i a n s , a n d i n c i t i n g the p e o p l e

seinen Trumen b e g e g n e n , s t a m m e n aus d e r B i b e l . D u r c h A n t e r o s

e x p l o i t a t i o n c o n t i n u e s . H o w e v e r , this is part o f t h e strength. For t h e m l i v i n g w i t h adversity is an essential act p r o p h e c y . A n t e r o a n d M a r i a ' s plight fortifies their inner

But t h e y suffer d e f e a t a n d c r u s h e d h o p e s a n d t h e i r

W i e M a r i a trifft a u c h A n t e r o auf d e n D r a c h e n , d e r v i e l e G e s i c h t e r se, e i n O m e n v o n Zerstrung. N a c h d i e s e r V i s i o n l e i d e n d i e hat. Er erscheint i h m a m H o r i z o n t als d i e vier Reiter der A p o k a l y p -

a n d o n e that t h e y share w i t h t h e i r c o m m u n i t y . T h e y

c o n t i n u e to c l i n g to the belief in f r e e d o m g u i d e d by saints a n d martyrs. It is these beliefs that a c c o m p a n y their w o r k , p a i n a n d l o v e for the l a n d . A n t e r o a n d M a r i a reflect the

Sertanejos n o c h mehr. P o l i t i k e r aus d e n Stdten k o m m e n m i t f a l -

s c h e n V e r s p r e c h u n g e n i m A u s t a u s c h gegen Whlerstimmen. D i e k e n n e n diese V e r s p r e c h u n g e n s c h o n . In ihren Drfern gab es seit

Leute hren still z u . Tgliche A r b e i t gehrt z u i h r e m K a m p f , sie

t y p i c a l characters of a n a n c i e n t a n d m o d e r n Sertao. T h e t e l l i n g of their story g u i d e s t h e m b a c k to the h o u s e of h o m a g e to the Sertanejos photographs at the b e g i n n i n g of the f i l m . T h e i r story is the u n s u n g heroes. w h o struggle in a n o n y m i t y like

jeher s o z i a l e K o n f l i k t e , Drre u n d Hungersnte. D a s Fernsehen

M y s t i k e r t a u c h e n in d e n Drfern auf, m a c h e n d i e Politiker s c h l e c h t s i c h mit religiser Inbrunst. A n t e r o u n d M a r i a s i n d Teil eines revo-

k o m m t u n d lst n o c h m e h r B e f r e m d e n unter d e n M e n s c h e n aus.

u n d rufen das V o l k z u r R e v o l t e auf. P o l i t i s c h e A g i t a t i o n v e r m i s c h t

that lingers in the v i e w e r ' s m i n d l o n g after they e n d , w i t h

O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S is o n e of those rare f i l m s

lutionren Prozesses, in d e m d e r D r a c h e n in all s e i n e n F o r m e n bekmpft w i r d . A b e r sie e r l e i d e n e i n e N i e d e r l a g e ; ihre H o f f n u n g e n s i n d zerstrt, ihre A u s b e u t u n g geht weiter. A b e r a u c h dies w u r d e p r o p h e z e i t . A n t e r o s u n d M a r i a s Elend m a c h t sie i n n e r l i c h stark. D a s L e b e n i m Unglck ist fr sie etwas Essentielles, etwas, das sie m i t der G e m e i n s c h a f t t e i l e n . Sie halten weiter an i h r e m G l a u b e n an e i n e v o n d e n H e i l i g e n u n d Mrtyrern gefhrte Freiheit fest. D i e s e r G l a u b e begleitet ihre A r b e i t , ihren S c h m e r z u n d d i e L i e b e z u i h r e m L a n d . A n t e r o u n d M a r i a s i n d t y p i s c h e C h a r a k t e r e des alten u n d m o d e r nen Serto. D i e Erzhlung ihrer G e s c h i c h t e fhrt sie zurck z u d e m H a u s m i t d e n P h o t o g r a p h i e n v o m A n f a n g des F i l m s . Ihre G e s c h i c h t e ist e i n e H o m m a g e an d i e Sertanejos, d i e u n e r k a n n t w i e u n b e s u n g e n e H e l d e n kmpfen. R a m i r o Puerta, i n : K a t a l o g des Toronto Filmfestivals, 1 9 9 6 Der Regisseur ber seinen Film Ich s t a m m e aus M i r a i m a , d e m D o r f , w o d i e D r e h a r b e i t e n fr O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S stattfanden. M i r a i m a liegt in C e a r a , e i n e m G e b i e t i m N o r d o s t e n v o n B r a s i l i e n , a u c h b e k a n n t als Serto. M e i n e Eltern s i n d B a u e r n , d e r e n e i n z i g e E i n k o m m e n s q u e l l e das L a n d ist, das sie b e s t e l l e n . M e i n g a n z e s L e b e n lang w a r i c h Z e u g e der Strke dieser M e n s c h e n , einer Strke, d i e es i h n e n ermglicht, mit d e n harten L e b e n s b e d i n g u n g e n , d e r Drre, d e m H u n g e r u n d der A r m u t z u r e c h t z u k o m m e n . Ich verstehe auerdem d i e A r t u n d W e i s e , w i e w i r mit W i d r i g k e i t e n f e r t i g w e r d e n , d i e unsere M y t h e n u n d unsere G e s c h i c h t e kreiert h a b e n . D i e s e w i e d e r u m w e r d e n berliefert d u r c h das Erzhlen v o n G e s c h i c h t e n , d u r c h Lieder, Kunst, Theater, R e l i g i o n u n d d e n p o l i t i s c h e n K a m p f . O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S ist Teil dieser T r a d i t i o n . D e r F i l m h a n d e l t v o n e i n e r R e g i o n Brasiliens, d e m Serto, d e m rmsten G e b i e t des Landes. D i e M e n s c h e n d e m Serto w e r d e n d e s h a l b v e r u n g l i m p f t , a b g e s t e m p e l t u n d verspottet. In jeder g r o en Stadt Brasiliens s i n d es d i e M e n s c h e n aus Serto, d i e s i c h als Schwerarbeiter, P u t z l e u t e , Straenkehrer u n d Prostituierte v e r d i n gen u n d in d e n Favelas w o h n e n . Serto ist m i t t l e r w e i l e e i n S y n o n y m fr d i e A r m u t in e i n e m r e i c h e n L a n d g e w o r d e n . M i t d i e s e m F i l m w o l l t e i c h z e i g e n , da diese R e g i o n geistig u n d k u l t u r e l l g e sehen uerst v i e l s c h i c h t i g ist. Trotz d e r m a t e r i e l l e n A r m u t h a b e n die M e n s c h e n eine einmalige M y t h o l o g i e und eine reiche G e s c h i c h t e e n t w i c k e l t . H i e r liegt das H e r z d e r b r a s i l i a n i s c h e n Kultur - des K u n s t g e w e r b e s , d e r M u s i k , d e r Kunst u n d d e r Literatur. A u f g r u n d dieser Umstnde, d i e d i e M e n s c h e n des Serto b e e i n f l u s sen u n d sie f o r m e n , ist ihre G e s c h i c h t e es wert, erzhlt z u w e r d e n . D a s w a r d e r A u s g a n g s p u n k t fr m e i n e n F i l m O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S . A l s j e m a n d , d e r in dieser R e g i o n a u f g e w a c h s e n ist u n d d e r versteht, w a s es heit, als a r m a b g e s t e m p e l t z u w e r d e n , w o l l t e i c h e i n e n F i l m m a c h e n , d e r d i e W r d e dieser M e n s c h e n in ihrer A r m u t einfngt. Biofilmographie

e v e r y o n e f o r m i n g their o w n interpretations of w h a t t h e y ' v e s e e n . It is a n u n u s u a l w o r k , its style m i x i n g elements of f i c t i o n a n d d o c u m e n t a r y . T h e story is e q u a l l y u n c o n v e n t i o n a l , presented m o r e as religious allegory than as t r a d i t i o n a l narrative. In the Sertao, p o l i t i c a l agitation m i x e s w i t h m y s t i c i s m a n d r e l i g i o u s f e r v o u r . T h e p e o p l e l i v e in a d v e r s i t y , c l i n g i n g to their belief in a f r e e d o m g u i d e d b y the saints a n d martyrs. O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S is a tender t e s t i m o n y to their c u l t u r e , their l o v e for the arid l a n d , a n d their m e m o r i e s , poetry a n d spirituality. R a m i r o Puerta, i n : Toronto F i l m Festival C a t a l o g u e , 1 9 9 6 The director about his film I a m f r o m the v i l l a g e of M i r a i m a , w h e r e O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S w a s shot, in the state of C e a r a , in Northeastern B r a z i l k n o w n as the Serto. M y parents are peasants w h o w o r k a n d live off the l a n d . A l l m y life I h a v e witnessed the strength w h i c h e n a b l e the p e o p l e of m y v i l l a g e to c o p e w i t h the harsh c o n d i t i o n s , d r o u g h t , h u n g e r a n d poverty. I also u n d e r s t a n d the processes in w h i c h w e c o p e w i t h adversities that create o u r myths a n d history. T h e s e in turn are perpetuated t h r o u g h o u r s t o r y t e l l i n g , songs, art, theater, r e l i g i o n a n d p o l i t i c a l struggle. O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S is a part of this t r a d i t i o n . T h e f i l m is the story of a region of B r a z i l , w h i c h is the poorest part of the country. B e c a u s e of this reality, the p e o p l e of the Serto are d e n i g r a t e d , s t e r e o t y p e d a n d r i d i c u l e d b y the rest of the c o u n t r y . In e v e r y b i g c i t y of B r a z i l , it is the N o r t h e a s t e r n e r s w h o are t h e m a n u a l laborers, house cleaners, street sweepers, prostitutes, a n d inhabitants of the favelas (slums). T h e Serto has b e c o m e s y n o n y m o u s w i t h the poverty of a rich country. I w a n t e d to s h o w t h r o u g h the f i l m that this is a region w h i c h is spiritually a n d culturally c o m p l e x . That despite their material poverty, the p e o p l e h a v e d e v e l o p e d a u n i q u e m y t h o l o g y a n d rich history. It is in this r e g i o n that the heart of the B r a z i l i a n culture lies; its crafts, m u s i c , art, a n d literature. B e c a u s e of these c o n d i t i o n s w h i c h affect a n d form the p e o p l e from the Serto, their story is worth telling. This w a s m y inspiration for O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S . A s a person f r o m this r e g i o n w i t h an u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the s t i g m a of b e i n g poor, I w a n t e d to m a k e a f i l m that w o u l d c a p t u r e the sense of d i g n i t y w i t h i n the reality of poverty. Biofilmography

Jose Arajo w a s b o r n January 1 9 t h , 1 9 5 2 . D u r i n g his y o u t h he studied at a C a t h o l i c seminary, w h e r e he began w r i t i n g short storys, poetry, plays a n d also w o r k e d as a

Jose Arajo w u r d e a m 1 9 . Januar 1 9 5 2 g e b o r e n . In seiner Jugend g e s c h i c h t e n , G e d i c h t e u n d Theaterstcke z u s c h r e i b e n . D a n e b e n studierte er an e i n e m k a t h o l i s c h e n Seminar, w o er b e g a n n , K u r z -

the possibility that f i l m c o u l d be used as a tool for p o l i t i c a l

projectionist. Inspired by Brazil's ' C i n e m a N o v o ' a n d b y

c h a n g e , he left t h e s e m i n a r y to s t u d y literature a n d

R o m a n c e languages at Cera State University. In 1 9 7 3 he left B r a z i l d u r i n g the m i l i t a r y d i c t a t o r s h i p to study f i l m in

arbeitete er als Filmvorfhrer. Beeinflut v o m b r a s i l i a n i s c h e n ' C i n e m a N o v o ' u n d v o n d e r Mglichkeit, da m a n d e n F i l m als lie er das S e m i n a r u n d studierte Literatur u n d R o m a n i s c h e S p r a -

the U.S.A. at San F r a n c i s c o State U n i v e r s i t y . In 1981 he

W e r k z e u g fr p o l i t i s c h e Vernderungen b e n u t z e n knnte, ver-

c h e n an d e r S t a a t l i c h e n Universitt in Cear. 1 9 7 3 , whrend d e r

t h r o u g h o u t South A m e r i c a . H e has w o r k e d as a s o u n d Percy A d l o n , Francis Ford C o p p o l a a n d G r e g o r y N a v a . L A N D S C A P E O F M E M O R Y is his first feature f i l m . Films / Filme:

s o u n d recordist for B r a z i l i a n a n d G e r m a n p r o d u c t i o n s

returned to B r a z i l to m a k e his o w n f i l m s a n d to w o r k as

e i n F i l m s t u d i u m . 1981 kehrte er n a c h B r a s i l i e n zurck, u m dort s e i n e e i g e n e n F i l m e z u m a c h e n u n d a l s T o n i n g e n i e u r fr b r a s i l i a n s i c h e u n d d e u t s c h e F i l m p r o d u k t i o n e n in g a n z Sdame-

Militrdiktatur, verlie er B r a s i l i e n u n d b e g a n n in San F r a n c i s c o

m i x e r for a n u m b e r of p r o d u c e r s a n d directors i n c l u d i n g

rika z u a r b e i t e n . U n t e r a n d e r e m w a r er fr d i e T o n m i s c h u n g in

film.

v e r a n t w o r t l i c h . O S E R T O D A S M E M O R I A S ist sein erster S p i e l -

F i l m e n v o n Percy A d l o n , Francis Ford C o p p o l a u n d G r e g o r y N a v a

anos despues.

1 9 7 8 : Miserere

1 9 8 7 : Salve a Umbanda.

nobis.

1 9 8 0 : Una familia

mexicana

14

1 9 9 6 : 0 SERTO

DAS MEMORIAS.