Of all the cinematic New Wave movements happening globally in the 1960s, the Brazilian Cinema Novo was among the most politically committed and adventurous—and Glauber Rocha was the movement’s trailblazer. Black God, White Devil, his third film, takes place in two parts amid an arid desert backdrop. Filled with bandits, religious fanatics, hired killers, and rebellious workers, the film is a scorched-earth allegory against mindless fanaticism that reworks Western and Brazilian history with a feverish intensity. Rocha has influenced countless subsequent filmmakers including Martin Scorsese, Sergio Leone, and Kleber Mendonça Filho. Rocha’s uncompromising, decolonial, and revolutionary cinema was also in dialogue with his contemporary Sarah Maldoror. Black God, White Devil was selected for the 1964 Cannes Film Festival. In Portuguese with English subtitles. (120 mins., 4K DCP)
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Black God, White Devil, courtesy of Janus Films.
The Films You Need to See Before You Graduate
One of the biggest surprises in moviegoing trends of the past two years has been the renewed audience interest in seeing older films in theaters. This series offers students—and general audiences interested in cinema history—monthly opportunities to see some of the most essential and exciting films ever made on the big screen! Over the academic year, the films will range from established classics to more recently discovered gems.
