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Bacurau
2019 131 min Brazil, France 18+
★7.8
Mystery, Western, Thriller
Director: Juliano Dornelles, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Trailers
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Description
Bacurau, a small town in the Brazilian sertão, mourns the loss of its matriarch, Carmelita, who lived to be 94. Days later, its inhabitants notice that their community has vanished from most maps.
Budget:
$1.43M
US Gross:
$58,115
Worldwide:
$3.55M
Starring
Bárbara Colen
Actor
Thomás Aquino
Actor
Silvero Pereira
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2019
— Jury Prize
Cannes Film Festival 2019
— Palme d'Or
Cannes Film Festival 2019
— Queer Palm
Key opinion
Bacurau is a bold, genre-bending neo-Western that serves as a visceral critique of power dynamics and colonial exploitation. While critics praise its atmospheric originality and cultural depth, some viewers find its narrative execution and stylistic flourishes to be divisive.
| Theme | The film functions as a powerful, counter-hegemonic critique of power abuse and colonial attitudes. | |
| Production | The film establishes a unique, recognizable, and highly atmospheric visual language that defines the remote Brazilian setting. | |
| Acting | Udo Kier delivers a chilling and charismatic performance as the primary antagonist. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative structure is praised by some for its slow-burn, genre-shifting approach, while others find the plotting disjointed or the execution of the premise lacking. | |
| Direction | The stylistic visual formalism is admired for its artistic flair but criticized by some for distracting from the film's social and political messaging. |