An island that is impossible to leave for those who are born there. A man is kidnapped, brought to the island and filmed. Kidnapper Emerson is a young island-born man who has a passionate wish to make a film. He envisions a film about his own life, but needs help with this. His radical solution to get the film made leads to a film about both him and his hostage, re-enacting their lives before the camera, while allowing poetic licence.
When real life increasingly shapes the narrative of the film, things get out of hand, including the film itself. Island is a frame narrative with many layers and references. Partly thanks to the convincing lead cast, the blurring of the lines between (their) fiction and reality is transferred to our notions of cinematic reality. Evolving from a playful game with cinema to an allegoric tale of Brazil’s untold stories.
Film details
Country of production
Brazil
Year
2018
Festival edition
IFFR 2019
Length
94'
Medium/Format
DCP
Language
Portuguese
Premiere status
International premiere
Director
Ary Rosa, Glenda Nicácio
Producer
Ary Rosa, Thamires Vieira
Screenplay
Ary Rosa
Cinematography
Thacle de Souza, Poliana Costa, Augusto Bortolini
Editing
Thacle de Souza, Poliana Costa
Production design
Glenda Nicácio
Sound design
Ary Rosa, Rafael Beck
Principal cast
Aldri Anunciação, Thacle de Souza, Valdinéia Soriano, Arlete Dias, Renan Motta, Aline Brune, Sérgio Laurentino