Opening 15 May 2025
Directed by:
Pia Marais
Writing credits:
Pia Marais, Willem Droste, Martin Rosefeldt
Principal actors:
Helena Zengel, Jeremy Xido, Sabine Timoteo, Hama Viera, Rômulo Braga
An American, Lawrence Byrne’s (Jeremy Xido) mission station is deep in the Amazonia, his congregation local Indigenous Peoples plus some Brazilians. There was a plane crash nine years earlier, a native found and carried the child out the jungle with her survival being declared “a miracle.” Hence, Rebecca’s (Helena Zengel) powers as a spiritual healer. Now, the father and daughter team fill their services delivering scripture, prayer, healing, and musical duets to an enraptured flock. Hallelujah! John (Sergio Sartorio), general all-around assistant, tells Rebecca following one lucrative service, “… [Y]ou’re going to be famous.” People from far and near seek Rebecca’s help, life is good, harmony exists. Concurrently, loggers begin illegally felling trees in Indigenous territory under the scrutiny of two young tribesmen (Pira Assurini, Iwinaiwa Assurini), and Artur Alves (Rômulo Braga) approaches the evangelists about his sick wife. Two standoffs evolve on either side of the road barricade. Allegiances are tested. By the time they visit Artur’s wife at the sawmill, Rebecca is conflicted, particularly by what Denise (Sabine Timoteo), the nurse, tells her. Byrne becomes more determined, the Indigenous People bolder. Junior’s (Philipp Lavra) calculating watchfulness portends skepticism, trouble; unlike his brother Artur, he is not a man of his word.
The screenplay (Pia Marais, Willem Droste, Martin Rosefeldt) equation of thirds succumbs to shallow interpretation. Xido’s strong performance is offset by Zengel’s lethargic acting. Cláudio Barros coached and cast the Brazilian Indigenous cast’s feelings of rightfulness. After thirty-four years in the profession Barros recognizes colonial thought patterns, and has learned to “Listen more, absorb more, learn more and always start from the cultural perspective of the Indigenous Nations.” Mathieu De Montgrand’s cinematography stirs interest, Andreas Hildebrandt’s sound design is intoxicating, and Lim Giong’s score harmonizing. The loose editing by Mathieu Laclau and Yann-Shan Tsai is the film’s nemesis –Transamazonia’s impact would have been heftier if shorter. (Marinell Haegelin)
