Híbridos, the Spirits of Brazil

This contemplative documentary is the result of three years of research into the diverse religious rituals of Brazil, from Roman Catholic to Umbanda and candomblé—mixtures of African traditions with Catholicism. French filmmakers and artists Vincent Moon and Priscilla Telmon investigated the relationship between trance, ecstasy, music, apparitions and spiritual rituals. In addition to capturing spectacular landscapes, they film the ceremonies with the camera in the midst of the ritual, allowing us to become part of the mystical experience. Traditional song accompanies many of the rituals, and the ceremonies include a shamanistic ritual performed by indigenous people in Mato Grosso, modern evangelical practices in Rio de Janeiro, and a faith-healing ceremony at a spiritual center. This exploration of spiritual movements in Brazil wouldn't be complete without the largest Catholic procession in the world, in the Amazonian city of Belém.