Brazil, 99 min

Dir: Marcelo Gomes

Watch Peter Scarlet's commentary  

Two young men travel the dusty wilderness roads of northeastern Brazil in the early 1940s, stopping in villages to sell the new miracle drug, aspirin. Johann is a German who fled his country to avoid World War II, and Ranulpho is a sharp-tongued Brazilian who hitched a ride away from the drought and suffering of his region in search of a better life.

Under Johann's guidance, Ranulpho learns to operate the cinema that they set up in the village streets, so they can show their filmed demonstration to people who've never heard of aspirin—or seen a film. Though at first they seem at odds, Johann and Ranulpho soon become friends, with only a scratchy radio voice to remind them of the distant war.

Then Johann receives a notice that he must either return to Germany or surrender to a concentration camp in São Paulo. For both men, the future is shaped by the reality that all lives are changed when the world is at war.

Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures won awards at the Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, London and Cannes film festivals.

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LEARN MORE:
Purchase the Cinema, Aspirins & Vultures DVD from Amazon.

Read an interview with lead actor Peter Ketnath.
Also, Manohla Dargis’ review for the New York Times.

About Cinemondo
This film is part of Link TV’s world cinema series Cinemondo, premiering entertaining and award-winning foreign films from some of the world’s most talented directors.