Programm:

14:00 Corn Beat (16'), Xingu Tokyo (45'), followed by a roundtable discussion

Festival-Website

Timetable_Bern-2024

Programm-Booklet

Synopsis CORN BEAT

In the region of Serra Preta, backlands of Bahia, few families of rural workers keep the tradition of work songs during the corn cultivation.

Synopsis XINGU TOKYO

The film explores the ancient artistic tradition of the indigenous peoples of Brazil, focusing on the manual creation of wooden benches carved from tree trunks and decorated with natural pigments. These pieces of art, which blend functionality and beauty, carry deep religious and symbolic significance.
The documentary draws a fascinating parallel between this millenary Brazilian tradition and the equally ancient Japanese culture, challenging the notion of a single origin for Japanese art. Through interviews with indigenous artists and Japanese craftsmen, the film highlights the unexpected and undeniable connections between these distant cultures, both steeped in ritual, tradition, and an openness to new influences.