A festa de Margarette

The black & white A festa de Margarette is a bitter comedy that is reminiscent of the silent film from the 1920s in every respect. The talented débutante Falcao tells the story, that is situated in the present, without dialogue and even without intertitles. Using situations, pantomime, lively Brazilian instrumental music and the occasional slapstick, he gives a modern interpretation of the classic genre. The underexposed, messy shots are fluently cut. The clownesque Higue Gomez turns his leading role as Pedro into a contemporary Charlie Chaplin.Pedro lives with his wife Margarette, children, a grandmother and countless other relatives in a remote house in the south of Brazil. He dreams of giving a large birthday party for Margarette, but he is only just about able to make ends meet and has also run up a tab at the bar. When Pedro is sacked from the car factory, his dream falls apart. But his redundancy payment comprises a suitcase and a bag of money. Despite all the financial excesses that Pedro overindulges in, the bottom of the suitcase never comes into sight. Nevertheless he is confronted painfully with harsh reality. Violence, murder and corruption make Pedro’s new life a nightmare.