• Release year: 2024
• Director: Julia De Simone.
• Producers: Julia De Simone, Luana Melgaço and Filipa Reis.
• Screenplay by: Aline Portugal, Julia De Simone and Mariana Luiza.
• Cinematography by: Flávio Rebouças.
• Music by: Marco Scarassati.

Shotgun Commentary: fascinating, original story with some pacing issues.

Review

Praia Formosa follows Muanza (Lucília Raimundo) during her days as a house slave and into a modern version of herself, one living in the same city and trying to get answers about the past. Both timelines, 19th century and 21st, are intertwined beautifully through the seamless blending of decorations, wardrobe, hairstyles and backgrounds. The perfect aesthetic to share a story like Muanza’s.

Perfect writing

Far from getting into the worst parts of slavery, Praia Formosa finds enough gravity in Muanza’s daily life. This decision highlights the horror of the situation by avoiding overly dramatic scenes. Often times, graphic violence and abuse are the only elements that stick when viewing films about slavery. By not showcasing any of these, the feature makes sure that no attention is dragged away from the matter at hand: lack of freedom. Muanza, much like her friend Kieza (Samira Carvalho), has been taken from her home and shipped elsewhere like an Amazon package. The commodification of women finding its ultimate expression.

However, this horrible situation only fuels Muanza and Kieza’s desire to rebel and find their way home. A wish that might prove trickier than it seemed at first. A part of their escape plans, they use braid mapping to remember the way to freedom. A brilliant technique that combines beauty and cunning. In addition to their hairstyles, their wardrobe is key to follow the multiple time jumps of the film. From the traditional 19th century garments for women to tote bags and tank tops, each piece reveals the moment in time and the economic power of each character. More often than not, proving to be vital in keeping you in the loop.

Aesthetic but sedating

Of course, a person’s characterisation can only be as good as its environment. As such, all the locations and decorations perfectly match the action. Each of the scenes is carefully curated both in content and form. The cinematography aids plenty in the storytelling. Certain angles and perspectives making the scenes attractive even when not much takes place in them.

Speaking of which, that is probably the one and only flaw of the film. Sadly, it is a very relevant one. The pacing is frustratingly slow, almost to the point of being static. This lethargic state makes it almost impossible to follow the story without tuning off. Riveting as the narration may be, it is also a test to your patience and attention span.

This is not to say that all slow movies are bad or wrong, simply that the pace needs to properly follow the content to communicate with the audience. If there are tons of details on each shot, a slow pace is best. However, if there is one action occurring in an empty room, maybe a shorter cut will help all audiences maintain their interest. Thus widening your audience past a small minority of indie cinephiles. After all, the message of Praia Formosa is way too important to be gate kept by its pace.

Even the speed of the dialogues is slow. Conversations that showcase the immense talent of the writers are not as appreciated as they should be due to the exasperating velocity at which they are recited. Which brings us to another great element of the narrative: the acting.

Masterclass in acting

Raimundo as Muanza is mesmerising. She already has plenty of titles under her belt, but her talent is so mind-blowing, it wouldn’t be surprising if she blew up all of a sudden and got into more mainstream/international projects. Truth be told, if she doesn’t, it will be a big loss to the history of cinema.

As for her colleagues Carvalho, playing Kieza, and Maria d’Aires in her role of Catarina, they couldn’t be more powerful and crucial to the story. Their characters are deep and complex, their performances come through flawlessly, and their presence truly makes the film. Kieza is Muanza’s strength, her reason for living, her inspiration and the love of her life. She is a positive influence that shields her from hardship and keeps her fighting. Catarina is the complete opposite. She is the lady of the house where Muanza works, a woman out of her mind living in a fantasy world. Her delusion is such that you begin to wonder if Muanza’s life is going to be another The Others (2001) situation. The mystery that surrounds them makes for a very powerful beginning that works perfectly thanks to the superb actresses in it.

All in all, Praia Formosa is a remarkable story that showcases a new way to speak about a theme that has been depicted countless times before in a brand-new way. It calls attention to the inhumanity of depriving someone of their autonomy without falling into the classic morbid trap of bathing in people’s suffering. Once again, here’s proof of the amazing projects that come to existence when you put a crew of women in charge.

Praia Formosa will be screened at London Film Festival the 9th and 11th of October.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Sometimes less is more. Avoiding the morbid details, you get a chance to highlight other horrors more efficiently.
• There should be more women professionals in the industry if we expect new points of view.
• The pace can make or break a film.

What’s your take? Have you watched Praia Formosa? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀