O Amor Natural (1996)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Heddy Honigmann

Writers:

Carlos Drummond de Andrade (poems)
Heddy Honigmann (writer)

Release Date:

5 December 1996 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

A documentary on Brazil's relationship with the poetry of Carlos Drummond de Andrade, and to their own sexuality. |

Plot Keywords:

Love | Senior Citizen

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Runtime:

USA:76 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Portuguese

Color:

Color

Certification:

France:U

Filming Locations:

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#12.3)" (1999)

I enjoyed the characters and their memories of love.

This is a documentary style film in which a TV interviewer questions numerous Brasilian characters about love and sex, more particularly about the erotic poetry of Carlos Drummond de Andrade not published until after his death. Each of the colourful and often amusing characters reads a poem from a paperback copy of his work and each praises the content of the verses. We too are caught up in this erotic adventure as the interviewer takes us from house to house and we get a glimpse of the earthiness of Brasilian life as it is lived in and around Rio. The verses are read very well but somewhat hesitantly when 8o-year olds struggle without their reading glasses. The poet uses few but well-chosen words in an attempt to describe the orgasmic feelings of two people in love. It is said that Carlos Drummond was a shy man but one can scarcely believe that from his colourful descriptions of the sex act. The film is completely absorbing throughout and the language though very direct is acceptable in the context of the film.