Brazilian villagers band together when armed mercenaries and mysterious drones invade their peaceful community. A film by Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles, starring Bárbara Colen, Thomás Aquino, Silvero Pereira, Thardelly Lima, Rubens Santos, Wilson Rabelo, Carlos Francisco, Luciana Souza, Karine Teles, Antonio Saboia, Sonia Braga, and Udo Kier.
BACURAU
Kleber Mendonça Filho • Juliano Dornelles
(2019)
Teresa (Bárbara Colen) returns to her hometown of Bacurau by hitching a ride on a water truck. Because a nearby dam has been blocked, the village has been without running water for months, forcing residents to have it hauled in from elsewhere. She has traveled back to attend the funeral of Carmelita (Lia de Itamaracá), her grandmother and a matriarch deeply respected by the entire community.
After the funeral, life in the village returns to normal until one day while Plinio (Wilson Rabelo) is teaching the local children about their geography. To his shock, he discovers that Bacurau has completely vanished from Google Maps.
Tony Junior (Thardelly Lima), the mayor of Serra Verde, arrives in the village to campaign by bringing along supplies of medicine, food, and books. However, the locals are well aware of his involvement in the water blockade that has left the village parched. Unmoved by his presence, the resentful villagers decide to ignore his campaign until he resolves the water crisis.
Shortly after, some villagers spot a strange flying object that resembles the classic UFO flying saucers of the past. That same night, a panicked herd of horses stampedes into the village. The locals assume the animals must have escaped from a farm located on the outskirts of town.
When the water truck arrives the following morning, the villagers notice it is riddled with leaks. Pacote (Thomas Aquino) notices that the holes in the tank look suspiciously like bullet wounds. He immediately calls the men who went to return the horses, warning them to stop and turn back. Meanwhile, a strange couple on a motorcycle rides past them toward the village. Suddenly, phone signals mysteriously vanish from the entire Bacurau area.
When the villagers arrive at the farm to return the horses, they discover that the owning family has been murdered. With cellular service down, the men have to race back on their motorcycles to warn the rest of the village. Tragically, they are ambushed and killed on the road before they can reach home to deliver the news. It turns out the couple is actually working for a group of Americans led by a German man named Michael (Udo Kier). Michael is furious that the pair killed the villagers without orders, fearing that such rogue actions could jeopardize their entire operation.
Written and directed by Brazilian filmmakers Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles, BACURAU is a compelling Portuguese film, even if the pacing is a bit of a slow burn at the start. It feels as though the film is deliberately taking its time to immerse the audience in the rural atmosphere and the villagers’ way of life.
One unique aspect is the lack of a traditional central protagonist. At first, it seems like Teresa will be the lead, but she eventually blends into the ensemble. The narrative focus shifts beautifully between characters depending on the situation. This structure effectively makes the audience root for the community as a whole rather than just one person. The film culminates in a finale that is both brutal and impressive.
BACURAU premiered at Festival de Cannes on 15 May 2019 in the main competition where it won Prix du Jury.
Prix du Jury is a prestigious award at the Cannes Film Festival. It recognizes original and innovative feature films in the main competition. Known in English as the Jury Prize, it has been given since 1946 by the festival’s jury to honor works with a “spirit of inquiry,” often for bold artistic choices. It’s the third most important prize after the Palme d’Or and Grand Prix, sometimes shared between two films. Originally called the International Jury Prize in 1946, it became the Prix spécial du Jury until 1967, when it was standardized as Prix du Jury. It wasn’t awarded in certain years like 1947, 1949, and 2020 (when the festival was canceled), but remains a key honor for directors worldwide.
The film was theatrically released in Brazil on 29 August 2019 by Vitrine Filmes, and in France on 25 September by SBS Distribution. In the United States, the film was acquired by Kino Lorber. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they opted for a “virtual cinema” release strategy, partnering with over 150 independent theaters across North America to stream the film.
The title BACURAU refers to the Portuguese word for the nightjar, or nighthawk, a bird known for its nocturnal habits. The story is set in a fictional village in northern Brazil that shares this name. If you were to look for it on Google Maps, you wouldn’t find it. It is as if the town has simply vanished from the face of the earth.
