Terra em Transe was a film of anger and perhaps exhaustion. Highly successful in presenting allegory that is planted and stems from the real. Chaotic and fragmented memories flashing before your eyes on the moment before death. Left hopeless, we aren’t allowed to feel satisfied by any attempt at revolution at this point. Characters morphing into one another like a bad dreams, or a forgotten memory. Thrashing camera movements, restlessness. Shakespearean tension and agony.

It seems that this particular film in Cinema Novo has elements of French new wave, particularly Godard. Something I will say, this film feels like its mastered those elements, sound design and editing, far better than I’ve seen Godard be able to do. There is more passion in the suffering here. There is real oppression and opposition here. This is my favorite Rocha film I have seen so far.

-Evie Rosheger