A shy, uncannily philosophical country boy's view of a confused grown-up world is rendered with great charm and sensitivity in this beautiful film from Brazil.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2008
Mutum 2007
"Minas Gerais in Brazil provides the fascinating setting for this resonant tale of how one very unordinary child attempts to make sense of the world (and adults) around him. Shy, sensitive and usually untalkative ('mutum' can mean 'mute'), ten-year-old Thiago spends the days on his family's isolated farm trying to figure out what on earth his parents and other adults are up to. His kindly mother and abusive father seem barely compatible and their relationship turns for the worse once a mysterious event forces the boy's uncle off the farm... Based upon the famous Brazilian novel Campo Geral by João Guimarães Rosa, Mutum features an astonishing performance by the young Thiago da Silva Mariz as our pint-sized philosopher, a child wise beyond his years." — San Francisco International Film Festival. The children are compelling subjects, and Thiago is completely affecting in the central role. He carries the whole film with astounding poise. I was captivated. — SR