Synopsis
Two filmmakers portray life in the mission of Sangradouro : Aldabert Heide, an eccentric German missionary who began filming with his Super 8 camera in 1957, and Divino Tserewahu, a young Xavánte director. From complicity to competition, from irony to emotion, they bring their archives to life, revealing the underside of the catechization of indigenous peoples in Brazil.
A word from Tënk
German missionary Adalberto Heide, known as "the master", has been with the Xavantes since 1957 and now has a colossal archive documenting the behind-the-scenes process of evangelization in this community. The work of Divino Tserewahú, a young Xavante filmmaker, focuses on the preservation of traditions and the daily life of his people. He was trained by the organization Vídeo nas Aldeias, a pioneering project in indigenous audiovisual production, of which director Tiago Campos is a collaborator. Working separately, Divino's gaze never crosses Adalberto's, and although the relationship between the two is marked by admiration and mutual respect, there is also masked discomfort from one and condescension from the other. In the exchanges between the two, the theory that the evangelization of the First Nations was peaceful emerges; a watered-down version told by the Church that still resonates in Brazilian society today. Rather than seeking to directly confront its characters, The Master and Divino delves into the intricacies of a complex relationship, revealing how behind this supposedly harmless cohabitation exists a tangible colonialism.
RIDM Programming Collective
Presented in collaboration with
