O amor natural
Netherlands,
1996, 76 min
Shown in 1997
CREDITS
- dir
-
Heddy Honigmann
- prod
-
Pieter van Huystee
- scr
-
Heddy Honigmann
- cam
-
José Guerra
- editor
-
Marc Nolens
- source
-
Fortuna Films, Prinsengracht 634-A, 1017 KT Amsterdam, Netherlands. FAX: 31-20-638-0149
- gga award
-
Certificate of Merit, The Arts
- premiere
-
North American Premiere
OTHER
Brazilians seem to celebrate carnality and poetry without a trace of the shame felt by other more puritanical cultures. The two become intertwined in this luscious documentary and in the book of the same name which is the wellspring for the film. Carlos Drummond de Andrade was a beloved and respected Brazilian poet and gentleman whose life spanned nearly the entire 20th century. He never intended his erotic poems to be made public, but the posthumously published O Amor Natural has proved to be near to the hearts (and other parts) of all Brazilians who happen upon it. At first, director Heddy Honigmann’s idea of having older, even ancient, Brazilians of all socioeconomic backgrounds recite Drummond’s extremely explicit verses on camera seems like a slightly perverse joke; but we soon realize that Drummond’s poetry, like that of the better-known Pablo Neruda, expresses the true language and innermost feelings of his people. As she proved with Metal and Melancholy (SFIFF 1994), Honigmann has a startling ability to probe the most intimate emotions. Wickedly funny, but also warm and moving (not to mention hot, hot, hot!), this movie is a must-see for anyone who loves sex, life and the Brazilian way.
—Toni Hanna
FACTOID #12
In our occasional film series, The Unvanquished, we showcased the work of filmmakers who continued to make their art despite suffering artistic repression. Those honored include directors Paul Carpita (1996), Paul Meyer (1996), Abraham Polonsky (1996) and John Berry (1998) and actors Karen Morley (1999) and Behrouz Vossoughi (2001).
