Found Memories (Julia Murat 2011):AR/BR/FR

Reviewed by Barbara Rowland. Viewed at Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2012.

 Lost in the back country of South America a village settled pulses forgotten lives. Or does it pulse at all? While witnessing the actions of the community it seems as though the characters are residually moving through their lives. Are these citizens ghosts or just “found memories”? I had the privilege to view this moving film during the Santa Barbara International film festival and although director Julia Murat slowly guided this journey, the final act is one that your heart should not live without.

Found Memories, a first fiction feature film by director Julia Murat, stands as an accomplished piece of cinema. Featuring award winning South American theatre actors Sonia Guedes as beloved Madalena, and Luiz Serra as perfect counterpart Antonio, we are given an assortment of acting styles. The part of Rita was assigned to Lisa Favero whose career orbits around contemporary theatre in Rio de Janeiro.The primary method of acting within the film was to simply not act at all.  Their direction was to follow an almost a suggestive improvisational format aside from some of the script. The town folk with some minor exceptions naturally belonged to the region selected for filming. These cast members were their own characters and were quoted finding it hard to imagine taking part in a fiction version of their own habits. The film is captured as almost an observational piece as audience members are taken on a tour of the daily moments of life.

We are first introduced to a lonesome village Jotuomba. It’s inhabitants bear the cross of approaching death as all of whom reside are well into their age. Main character Madalena (Sonia Guedes), the town bread maker, rises early to create bread for her neighbor Antonio’s (Luiz Serra) coffee shop. With her hair of white covered in a kerchief, and a basket of bread upon her arm, Madalena treks down the abandoned train tracks towards the village every morning. After a quick fit over the organization of the bread within Antonio’s shop, the duo wait for the bells of the chapel to ring, then depart for mass. With the completion of mass comes a visit to the cemetery, dinner, and finally home. Within the quiet of an empty home, Madalena reminisces with her memory and communicates with her deceased husband via love letters. Her routine continues daily as we see Madalena again wake early to create bread and trek slowly down the rusted train tracks. Suddenly upon coming home to settle in for the evening Madalena is met with a strange young photographer named Rita (Lisa E. Favero) who ultimately creates change.  The worlds between the women blend as Madalena embraces young Rita as a house guest. During her time spent in the village Rita cautiously interrupts with her curiosity and modern behaviors, however quickly makes lasting relationships with the town folk.

The relationship between Madalena and Rita is beautiful. The separation between age also separates the necessities, however unites their interests. As a photographer Rita captures images throughout the village focusing on her subjects as if they were ghosts. The moments of intimacy between Madalena and Rita are absolutely graceful and moving. In one scene in specific Rita prepares to take Madalena’s photo. During the interval of time provided to pose Madalena’s facial expressions transition as if a hologram. In the end her last pose exemplifies a peaceful pride which suites and completes her character.

The connections within the film are familiar as they relate to young and old life. From the death of a husband, to an aging woman, to a young lady, the consistent thread of age is made very clear. The bond between ages however is what I feel is more relevant and personally celebrated within this film.  Within these bonds gaps are bridged not only through acting and dialogue but also through cinematography. At first shots are captured from far away as characters are educated about another the distance lessens. Music is also another catalyst for connectivity as we are shown Rita sharing her Ipod with Madalena and Rita dancing to Franz Ferdinand as an older villager approaches her. This reminds us as an audience the differences between their worlds and how they can be combined. Another important element to this film is the condition of culture and representation of minimalism. The small village lifestyle can be seen throughout the film during moments at and after mass. The handful of citizens who are all dependant upon one another for fellowship and harvest commits to these themes. The ideology of the community exemplifies polite religious male dominance and the simple frocks selected as costume shows us the unimportance of materialism. These pictures paint us an overall example of a religiously crafted South American culture that can be and is forgotten.

With positivity aside, this film does move slowly. As a realistic piece, is moves realistically. As an audience you are invited to sit and observe change. The progression is not decided upon by us, but inspired to move like it’s characters. You’ll notice once Rita is introduced the film changes pace to accommodate to her vigor. I do dare you however, to complete  a viewing of this film. I would find it surprising that you would not at least feel moved by it’s deep human connections.