Fé

The well-known postulate ‘religion is the opium of the people‘ does not apply to the Brazilians; that is the tenor of this film. In Brazil, religion is not a sop, but an important aspect of the daily lives of people across all social classes. To many of them, faith is even the basic pillar of their existence. In FÉ, we join the filmmaker on his criss-cross journey through the immense Brazilian country, in search of manifold religious manifestations. We get to see a motley parade of priests, spiritualists and their followers. Images of massive gatherings with processions in honour of Maria during a two-week festivity in Amazonia, the pilgrims who often travel many days on foot to reach the place of pilgrimage Canindé, or the spiritualistic sessions on the beach of S(o Paulo. Some Brazilians go to extremes in their desire for redemption and their quest for the answer to existential questions. Like the community that sees reincarnation as the principal element of their religious life. ‘The eldest among us is 32,000 years old‘, says the leader of the order, whose members all wear medieval garments. In another place we meet a man who acts as a medium, receiving messages from the deceased. Every day, many mothers come to him to listen to the soothing words he picks up from the spiritual world and translates into letters for them.In this multiplicity, one common aspect stands out: the complete devotion exhibited by the disciples in worshipping their god, and the comfort and hope they draw from their faith.