In her debut feature, “Fogaréu,” director Flávia Neves interweaves the broader impact of colonialism in Brazil with a close-up tale of insidious goings on in Goiás, her home town in central Brazil. Having gained support from the CNC’s Aide Aux Cinemas du Monde, “Fogaréu” is an accomplished first film that offers a nuanced critique of power dynamics within a bold, cinematic thriller framework. The film screens in the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival.
Named after the Catholic Procession of the Fogaréu at Easter, a tradition introduced by the Spanish in the mid-18th century that re-enacts the arrest of Jesus, the film follows the return of prodigal daughter Fernanda (Bárbara Colen) to Goiás having lived in more progressive and liberal environments since she left with her adoptive mother. Back in the town, she discovers its open secret—that many…
