Saudade - Brazilian Tales of Longing
Director Sonja Schenkel
Countries Brazil, Switzerland
Duration 58 min
Synopsis
Globalization makes us long for roots and Saudade is a feeling that describes this longing, this nostalgia. Originating in Portugal, the word traveled throughout the Portuguese-speaking world and entered into the hearts and souls of each place. In this film, we go on a journey to explore the Brazilian meaning of Saudade. We follow mariners as they cross the ocean from Europe back home to Brazil. We hear about their routines at sea and the challenges of life far from land. Then, we peer into a hidden convent in the mountains near Rio de Janeiro, Carmel Sao José. The nuns develop their own saudade cut off from the outside world, and with few words spoken. Finally, we travel to the Northeast of Brazil, where tales of longing resonate within the voices of traditional poets. Images of the wide open sea, the mystic calm of a cloister and poetry introduce us to little known twists of the Brazilian soul.
Globalization makes us long for roots and Saudade is a feeling that describes this longing, this nostalgia. Originating in Portugal, the word traveled throughout the Portuguese-speaking world and entered into the hearts and souls of each place. In this film, we go on a journey to explore the Brazilian meaning of Saudade. We follow mariners as they cross the ocean from Europe back home to Brazil. We hear about their routines at sea and the challenges of life far from land. Then, we peer into a hidden convent in the mountains near Rio de Janeiro, Carmel Sao José. The nuns develop their own saudade cut off from the outside world, and with few words spoken. Finally, we travel to the Northeast of Brazil, where tales of longing resonate within the voices of traditional poets. Images of the wide open sea, the mystic calm of a cloister and poetry introduce us to little known twists of the Brazilian soul.