Matraga (A hora e a vez p Augusto Matraga)

A Prodigo Films presentation and production, in colaboration with Orkestra Filmes, using the participation of TeleImage, Studio Quanta. Created by Adriano Civita, Beto Gauss. Exective producer, Elisa Tolomelli. Directed by Vinicius Coimbra. Script, Manuela Dias, Coimbra, in line with the short story by Joao Guimaraes Rosa.With: Joao Miguel, Vanessa Gerbelli, Jose Wilker, Chico Anysio, Antonio Petrin, Ze Dumont, Teca Pereira, Ivan p Almeida, Irandhir Santos, Gorete Milagres, Werner Schunemann, Claudio Jaborandi, Vinicius p Oliveira, Odilon Esteves, Romulo Braga, Julio Andrade, Alexandre Zachia, Evil Reboucas, Geraldo Peninha, Glicerio Rosario Dias, Joao Dinico, Iami Lobato Silva, Melissa Isabelli, Carolina Franca.A Brazilian bandit player sees the sunshine, simply to be confronted with more violent opponents in "Matraga," the type of film where you'd half-be prepared to visit a miniature angel and demon do fight while perched around the protag's shoulders. But newcomer Vinicius Coimbra's suave but simplistic adaptation from the 1946 short story by literary giant Joao Guimaraes Rosa is simply too committed to as being a feijoada Western, seasoned with regionalist touches, to actually plumb the depths of Matraga's opposing interior forces. Quadruple wins in the Rio fest should help local odds, while curio factor inspires some sprocket-opera shootouts. Within an unspecified time, courageous rural troublemaker Augusto Matraga (Joao Miguel, sufficient) is drawn in by two religious outcasts (Ivan p Almeida, Teca Pereira) after being left for dead by his adversaries. He subsequently turns into a God-fearing citizen, until a effective landowner (Jose Wilker) crosses his path. Lensing and art direction are specifically elegant, although the tanned, leatherlike faces and whiskey-colored firelight imbue a nostalgic, yellowed-paper quality that romanticizes the violence, towards the hindrance of mental insight. Helmer Roberto Santos' earlier "Matraga" adaptation performed Cannes in 1966.Camera (color), Lula Carvalho editor, Alexandre Boechat music, Sasha Amback production designer, Moa Batsow costume designer, Janet Filipecki. Examined at Rio Film Festival (competing), March. 14, 2011. Running time: 106 MIN. Contact Boyd van Hoeij at news@variety.com