The film that stood out to me in the past week was definitively the Brazilian film Found Memories by Julia Murat (2011). A couple of years ago I had been made aware of this film, but it was not before now I came across a copy of this film. 

The title in Portuguese is Stories Only Exist When Remembered. The film had its premier at the Venice film festival in 2011 and was the first feature length film of Julia Murat. 

Found Memories is a visually poetic, minimalistic film with a very subdued storyline. It plays in Jotuombo, a fictitious rural tiny village in Brazil. It has an aged, dwindling population of a priest and some former agricultural workers. It is a place where “everyone has forgotten to die“. Madalena is an elderly woman who bakes rolls for the villagers before sunrise. She brings them every morning, walking a deserted railroad, to the local shop and to its owner Antonio. 

One day a young woman, Rita, a drifting photographer, shows up in the village and finds a place to stay in the house of Madalena. Rita is the catalyst in the story. She is several generations younger than everyone else in town. Rita has an intent admiration for the “old ways” of the villagers and catches them diligently with her camera. The dynamic between Rita and Madalene is absolutely fascinating. Rita does not say much, she largely communicates through her camera. Theirs is a growing relationship, each teaching the other about life through their art and skills. Life is not meant to slip away into oblivion. When Madalena is assured that stories, images and memories will live on, she is ready to pass on the torch.  

Found Memories reminds us of the emotional power of memories and of how painful and difficult aging and death become when the stories of older generations are not honored. 

Rinus, May 2019

*Image posted for non commercial purposes
under 'fair use' of copyright material in recommendation of the film

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