Gabriel Martins’ new film, “Vicentina Pede Desculpas,” begins with a bus crash that kills almost everyone aboard. The driver’s mother, Vicentina, is among the victims. Driven by guilt, she sets out to apologize to the relatives of those who died. The film opens in cinemas on Thursday, November 5, and is due to arrive on Netflix on November 20.
Rejane Faria plays Vicentina, a character inspired in part by Martins’ grandmother, whom he lost when he was young. In one scene, she compares her sadness with the expressions of other people, wondering whether they are carrying a similar burden of grief.
Martins says he wants his films to draw attention to the humanity of people whose experiences may be unfamiliar to us. The bus disaster is presented in a sudden, heightened sequence, while the film that follows leans on still compositions, extended conversations and quiet scenes. Its approach to ghosts and absence is also reflected in Renato Novaes playing both of Vicentina’s sons.
The film marks a shift for Martins: unlike “No Coração do Mundo” and “Marte Um,” which follow several characters, it is his first feature with a single protagonist. Its conversations present differing views on grief, while Vicentina moves through tense exchanges, a birthday gathering and confessions in a church. Martins describes his preference for dialogue that combines the rhythms of everyday speech with a more theatrical, melodramatic structure.
Martins is a co-founder of Filmes de Plástico, the production company behind his earlier work. His best-known feature, “Marte Um,” follows a Black family on the outskirts of Belo Horizonte as its members pursue personal ambitions amid unexpected events. “Vicentina Pede Desculpas” was developed with Netflix as a production partner. Martins says the deal was made after the script had matured and did not alter the film’s central ideas.
Across his work, Martins has sought to place Black characters at the center of stories that extend beyond the subjects they are often expected to represent. He says his films make room for the varied experiences and ideas of people from different social backgrounds, while treating everyday life as material for cinema.
Sources: Folha Ilustrada.