Brazilian film 'A Margem do Rio' wins jury prize at Locarno

The Brazilian film "A Margem do Rio," directed by Matheus Farias and Enock Carvalho, received the special jury prize Saturday at the 79th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. The award, considered the second-highest honor at the event, came with a prize of 30,000 Swiss francs, approximately 190,000 Brazilian reais, to be divided among the directors and producers.

The film was competing for the Leopardo de Ouro, the festival's top award, which went to "You Don't Belong Here," directed by Romanian filmmaker Florin Serban. "A Margem do Rio" was the only Brazilian film in contention for the main prize.

The feature marks the directorial debut in feature-length filmmaking for Farias and Carvalho, who previously gained recognition for their work in short films at international festivals. The film is a co-production between Brazil and Germany and was shot in Recife.

The cast includes Caique Copque and Ítalo Martins in the lead roles. Copque plays Izaquiel, a general services worker in Recife who ventures into the mangrove swamps at night in search of secret encounters. Martins portrays Jeremias, an enigmatic fisherman whose life intersects with Izaquiel's. The supporting cast features Robério Diógenes and Carlos Francisco.

The narrative follows Izaquiel's routine transformation after meeting Jeremias. When external violence invades the mangrove region, Jeremias guides Izaquiel on a journey into the depths of both the mangrove and himself.

The film had its world premiere at the festival on Tuesday, August 11. The jury justified the award by describing the work as "a journey full of patience, solidarity, attraction, violence, bodies, sex. An erotic and magical horror rooted in the political tradition of Brazilian cinema. A pulsating energy that only a first feature can have."