Pictures of Ghosts

A vintage photograph of a group of people wearing carnivalesque costumes and masks while standing in the middle of an urban street.

Downtown Recife’s classic movie palaces from the 20th century are mostly gone. That city area is now an archaeological site of sorts that reveals aspects of life in society which have been lost. And that’s just part of the story.

Brazil’s official selection for the 2024 Academy Awards, Pictures of Ghosts, from acclaimed director Kleber Mendonça Filho is a multidimensional journey through time, sound, architecture and filmmaking, set in the urban landscape of Recife, Brazilian coastal capital of Pernambuco. The film examines this historical and human territory through the great movie theatres that served as spaces of conviviality during the 20th century. Having hosted dreams and progress, these places have also embodied a major transformation on social practices. Combining archive documentary, mystery, film clips and personal memories, Pictures of Ghosts is a map of a city through the lens of cinema.

The film will be introduced by Arturo Ruiz Mautino, PhD candidate in Spanish in the Department of Romance Studies.

Pictures of Ghosts screens as part of "Cine Con Cultura" and our "Doc Spots" series. Courtesy of Grasshopper Film and Gratitude Films.