Tapete Vermelho

Very cute film, with various interesting elements put together in a clever way. From the very beginning it is clear that it is a homage to simple people from São Paulo countryside and to old movie comedian icon Mazzaropi, who portrayed them on screen. As a matter of fact, Matheus Nachtergaele, one of the most gifted actors from Brazil, has an impressive performance here in the leading role, incredibly similar to Mazzaropi's. The film is also a homage to cinema in general, as it is a road movie which trip has the goal of going to the movie theater - and several of them have been closed, with the places becoming stores or charismatic churches, what 8s seen critically. It is also surprisingly politically critical, drawing attention to the problem of the land in Brazil: very concentrated in few hands and a lot of violence against those who oppose big landowners' interests. The movie shows the Landless Workers' Movement (MST), the largest social movement in South America, and the violence against their activists, which is often imposed with colaboration of the police and even of the press. However, the most remarkable element that surprised me in this film perhaps lies elsewhere: it is very nice, funny, creepy, and smart the way it portrays faith, folklore, legends, superstitions and so forth, at some moments as fantastic realism. The film was an amusing surprise and worth watching!