Kleber Mendonça Filho’s documentary has been described by American critics as moving and “intellectually stimulating”
The Brazilian film Ghost portraits (2023), directed by Kleber Mendonça Filhowas selected as one of the best of the year by The New York Times. The work occupies sixth position in the critic Manohla Dargis’s ranking, standing out among renowned productions such as Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga AND Megalopolisby Francis Ford Coppola.
About the movie
Launched in 2023, Ghost portraits explores the history of Recife (PE) through the disappearance of street cinemas, a phenomenon that shaped behaviors in the capital of Pernambuco. Described by the critic of NYT AS “formally lively and intellectually stimulating”the documentary had already been presented out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
In the center of Recife, in the 20th century, discover the history of the city center told through the cinemas that moved the population and dictated behavior.
However, another big Brazilian bet, I’m still here (2024), by Walter Salles, was not included in the ranking, as it has not yet debuted on the American commercial circuit. The film, starring Fernanda Torres and Selton Mello, will have limited screenings in January to qualify for an Oscar and will be released theatrically in the United States in February.
Complete list of the best films of 2024
According to critics Manohla Dargisthe ten best films released this year in the United States were:
- Everything we imagine as light (Everything we imagine as light), by Payal Kapadia (India)
- Ernie Gehr: Mechanical magicby Ernie Gehr (United States)
- Real pain (Real pain), by Jesse Eisenberg (United States)
- Don’t expect too much from the end of the world (Don’t expect too much from the end of the world), by Radu Jude (Romania)
- Dahomeyby Mati Diop (France)
- Ghost portraits (Pictures of ghosts), by Kleber Mendonça Filho (Brazil)
- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Furiosa: the Mad Max saga), by George Miller (United States)
- Megalopolisby Francis Ford Coppola (United States)
- Green border (green border), by Agnieszka Holland (Poland)
- Hereby Bas Devos (Belgium)
In addition to Dargis’s list, other critics of the The New York Timessuch as Alissa Wilkinson, they also included major works such as Nickel boysby RaMell Ross, e Soundtrack of a coupby Johan Grimonprez. Check:
- Nickel boysby RaMell Ross (United States);
- Enoby Gary Hustwit (United States);
- Anoraby Sean Baker (United States);
- Soundtrack of a coupby Johan Grimonprez (Belgium/France/Netherlands);
- Evil does not exist (“Aku wa sonzai shina”), by Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Japan);
- Planet Janet (“Janet Planet”), by Annie Baker (USA);
- Green border (“Green Border”), by Agnieszka Holland (Poland);
- Bravo, by India Donaldson (USA);
- The extraordinary life of Ibelin (“The Extraordinary Life of Ibelin”), by Benjamin Ree (Norway);
- unionby Brett Story and Stephen Maing (USA).
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
