Retratos Fantasmas

This is an intimate memoir-documentary by Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho. Through poetry and history, Kleber renders his tender homage to cinema.

Mendonça combines scenes from his early homemade films -- shot at his mom's apartment in Recife, Brazil -- with historic footage and photographs that are absolute gems. He then takes us on a journey through the dilapidated streets of Recife's decadent downtown, which once was a happening place. As he visits the theaters where his love of cinema flourished, the director reminisces about a time when the magic of cinema happened inside these remarkable buildings.

This is a very unique film that will evoke nostalgia in film lovers, history buffs, and anthropologists alike. As a Brazilian who lived through the end of this era, my heart was touched. But the film transcends local cultural references. The universal language of cinema comes through clear and strong in this poetic exercise by a brilliant director.